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Pillars Director Lisa Friedman, who diagnoses and evaluates potential patients, was asked if she would <br />accept a sex offender. Friedman said she would not and would refer them to a facility better skilled to <br />meet their needs. <br />Despite the apparent neighborhood backlash to Pillars Recovery, Willis said she is not considering <br />moving. <br />Thirteen licensed non-medical alcoholism and drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities operate in <br />Laguna Beach, according to a January status report by the state Department of Health Care Service. Two <br />more are in process, according to Ann Larson, the city's assistant director of community development. <br />At the meeting, Larson described the variations among recovery facilities, which operate under different <br />regulations and are licensed by different authorities. In general, residential care facilities are subject to <br />state regulations and licensing, which preempts local regulations by cities. <br />Deputy City Attorney Ajit Thind laid out state and federal statutes, including the Americans with <br />Disabilities Act, and their protections for group homes that provide treatment for the disabled. They also <br />apply to group homes for recovering drug and alcohol addicts. "As to the unlicensed facilities, they are <br />still afforded protection by ADA as well as fair housing laws. But if they are engaging in nuisance -like <br />activities, the city can enforce and they can do so by administrative citation. At this point we haven't <br />gotten to this point with any facility," Thind said. <br />Federal laws were enacted to promote the integration of individuals with disabilities into the community <br />and to prohibit discrimination against them. <br />Ashton urged participants to play a role in documenting crime in their neighborhood. "You are our eyes <br />and ears. Contact the police not just about the facilities, but anything that makes you uncomfortable," <br />Ashton said, who noted that "Top of the World is actually one of the safest areas in our city." <br />The principal said TOW school has not experienced any incidents related to Pillars Recovery. "Of course I <br />wouldn't want it to be as close to the school as it is," said Conlon, indicating that school district officials <br />intend to push for a legislative remedy to restrict recovery houses near schools. <br />The two facilities that were the focus of concerns have been inspected by city code enforcement officers <br />and are in compliance with their state licensing requirements, Larson said. The number of sober living <br />group homes in Laguna is not known because there is no licensing requirement by either the city or the <br />state. <br />Larson intends to ask elected officials to endorse a letter urging a change in state laws to allow cities <br />more discretion in regulating rehab houses through zoning. <br />Page 2 <br />