Response to 2022-2023 Orange County Grand Jury Report:*

Group homes too close to one another contribute to the problems associated with overconcentration. The City of Laguna Beach disagrees with this finding. There is no data generally, nor with respect to the City of Laguna Beach specifically, to support the finding that close proximity leads to reported problems.

Common nuisances are more likely and disruptive when sober living homes are concentrated in a small geographic area of a neighborhood. The City of Laguna Beach disagrees with this finding. There is no data generally, nor with respect to the City of Laguna Beach specifically, to support the finding that geographic concentration leads to nuisances and disruptions.

Some cities have successfully addressed and informed community members about the challenges faced in regulating group homes. The City of Laguna Beach agrees with this finding.

Community satisfaction was minimal when cities took the traditional public comment approach towards addressing community complaints. The City of Laguna Beach disagrees with this finding. There is no data generally, nor with 505 FOREST AVE. LAGUNA BEACH, CA 92651 TEL (949) 497-3311 FAX (949) 497-0771 The Honorable Maria Hernandez September 6, 2023 approach towards addressing community complaints. The City of Laguna Beach disagrees with this finding. There is no data generally, nor with respect to the City of Laguna Beach specifically, to support this finding.

Cities are not utilizing police, fire, and code enforcement complaints as a means of locating and tracking Group Homes. The City of Laguna Beach partially disagrees with this finding. The City of Laguna Beach does not track group homes, consistent with State law. However, the City of Laguna Beach does track code enforcement cases and police and fire calls, which could serve to illustrate concentrations of nuisance complaints and/or calls for service.

Cities are inhibited from enacting and enforcing ordinances due to fears over the potential cost of litigation. The City of Laguna Beach partially disagrees with this finding. The City of Laguna Beach cannot regulate group homes with six or fewer persons to ensure that the City complies with State law.

Several cities have created an ordinance that requires a ministerial permit or registration to operate a group home, however many of these cities do not enforce their ordinances. The City of Laguna Beach partially disagrees with this finding. While the City of Laguna Beach cannot speak to group home permit or registration requirements or ordinance enforcement in other cities, the City of Laguna Beach does not require a ministerial permit or registration for group homes with six or fewer persons.

City and County officials are deterred from regulating group homes by California Housing and Community Development's housing element approval process. The City of Laguna Beach agrees with this finding. The California Housing and Community Development comment letter for the City's 6th Cycle Housing Element update required evidence that the City did not regulate group homes for six or fewer persons and required an implementation program to streamline permit approvals for group homes with seven or more persons. The Grand Jury report also references several other examples that support this finding.

Cities have historically strategized and acted independently in addressing group home challenges and solutions. The City of Laguna Beach disagrees with this finding. The City of Laguna Beach has participated in regional activities, including efforts with the Orange County Council of Governments and the Association of California Cities-Orange County (ACC-OC). For example and without limitation, in 2017, the City of Laguna Beach participated in the ACC-OC's Western States Sober Living Homes Reform Coalition. FOREST AVE. LAGUNA BEACH, CA 92651 TEL (949) 497-3311 FAX (949) 497-0771 The Honorable Maria Hernandez September 6, 2023

Well-operated group homes can integrate smoothly into neighborhoods. The City of Laguna Beach partially disagrees with this finding. Operational standards can establish rules for group home occupants, which could lead to comfortable integration into neighborhoods. However, operational standards do not dictate occupant behavior and do not guarantee zero nuisance or service calls.

There is a lack of regulatory oversight for the health and safety of residents of unlicensed group homes. The City of Laguna Beach agrees with this finding. State law and regulations do not provide oversight for the health and safety of unlicensed group homes nor the health and safety of group homes with six or fewer persons.