01 Mar 2021•FAQ
What type of zoning is required for a recovery residence?
Most recovery residences in Vermont are treated as single-family dwellings with up to eight unrelated adults. Level 3 and 4 homes are often treated as a group home or medical facility depending on the number of residents and types of services offered. Currently, zoning differs from City to Town. Even though people in recovery are a protected class under the federal Fair Housing Act and its Amendments, some local governments around the country under political pressure will illegally discriminate against people in recovery with land use or health and safety ordinances that regulate Recovery Residence above and beyond housing for individuals without a disability. This discriminatory activity is often referred to as Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) and raises barriers for people in recovery to access the housing that many need to live happier healthier lives. With limited resources to navigate the legal system, which can be stigmatizing into itself, Recovery Residence providers are often bullied out of municipalities, leaving local people in recovery without an important resource. In Vermont, most select boards and zoning commissions are made up of well-intentioned volunteers. Efforts are currently under way to provide a common zoning definition for these decision makers to better understand this type of service and for consistency across the State.