Group Homes and Sober Living Homes

Group Homes and Sober Living Homes

• Notice of Public Hearing before the Community Development Director - Special Use Permit 25-03 and 25-12
• Notice of Public Hearing before the Community Development Director - Special Use Permit 25-04
  Agenda
• Notice of Public Hearing before the Community Development Director - Special Use Permit 25-05
  Agenda
• Citations Issued as of 1-22-2026
• Pending Special Use Permits as of 1-22-2026
• City Permitted Facilities as of 1-22-2026
• State Licensed Facilities as of 1-22-2026
• Denied or Withdrawn Special Use Permits

Group Homes

Group Homes are facilities that are used as supportive living environments for persons who are considered disabled under state or federal law. Group homes do not focus on substance abuse disorder treatment or sober living. Group homes do not include licensed residential care facilities or group homes that operate as a single housekeeping unit. 

Sober Living Homes

Sober living homes are a type of group home functioning as a facility, offering a drug- and alcohol-free environment to help residents transition from rehabilitation to independent living in a residential, community environment. Sober living homes are required to be city and state code compliant to operate in the City of Fountain Valley.

Fountain Valley has seen a high concentration of sober living homes in recent years, leading to discussion around their evolving status in the community. We share the same goal of maintaining a safe community. Public safety and wellness for all residents are our top priorities, particularly as we navigate this developing situation. The City of Fountain Valley is also dedicated to preserving the recovery process and community benefits offered by compliant sober living facilities, as outlined by the state of California.

Alcohol and substance abuse disorders affect a person’s ability to live their daily lives and function within society. We encourage residents to extend empathy and consideration for persons in or seeking recovery from drug or alcohol addiction.

Ordinance No. 1607

Adopted March 1, 2024, this ordinance established new regulations for group homes that require: 

• The acquisition of special use permits for operating facilities
• A six-resident maximum
• 650 ft of separation between sober living homes or state licensed alcoholism or drug abuse recovery/treatment facilities (measured from the closest property lines)

The ordinance allowed existing sober living homes, 90 days from the adoption date to submit an application for a Special Use Permit. 

Status of Special Use Permit Applications

Compliance and Enforcement

The City of Fountain Valley is committed to code compliance and enforcement throughout the community. Sober living homes not licensed by the state have one year from the ordinance adoption to come into code compliance before enforcement action is taken. Suspected sober living homes have been contacted by the City with information to come into compliance. The City will continue to update the list of compliant sober living homes and initiate code enforcement on March 1, 2025.

Compliance and Enforcement Update February 2025

On March 1, 2025, the grace period will end, and code enforcement will begin in-person investigations of alleged GH/SLHs. Officers will need to determine if the properties meet the definition of a GH/SLH in order to issue an administrative citation which begins the enforcement process.

If a code enforcement officer is not allowed into a property to determine the use, they may ask neighbors if they have evidence of the operation of the property. Anyone providing evidence that a property was operating as a GH/SLH would need to testify at an administrative hearing as part of the enforcement. In some circumstances, an inspection warrant for the interior of the homes may be obtained if the Attorney for the City determines it is appropriate.

Investigating, enforcing, and gaining compliance of alleged GH/SLHs will be a lengthy process. We ask for your patience as we navigate the next step in the enforcement of illegal GH/SLHs in the community.

Limited City Governance

The City’s governance over sober living homes is limited to enforcing applicable Municipal, Zoning and Building Codes; and State Penal Code statutes.

As of September 2024, the City of Fountain Valley is one of the few cities in the state of California proactively addressing the evolving status of sober living facilities in our communities through regulation via City ordinance and code enforcement. 

 Interested residents can contact state legislators about sober living home regulations.