Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this critical legislation to address the nationwide opioid epidemic which has affected south Florida, where I am from, as it has communities from California to New Hampshire.

Today I want to tell you about a related crisis that is obstructing the recovery of addicts and damaging the character of south Florida neighborhoods, and neighborhoods across the Nation. I am talking about the overproliferation in residential areas of group homes for recovering addicts called sober homes.

In theory, it is a very good thing, a way to reintegrate addicts back into the community. It is activity protected by two historic laws that prohibit discrimination in housing against persons with disabilities.

But this civil rights protection is being abused by two many unscrupulous actors who are luring young adults away from their families and placing them in group homes that have no standards and then leaving them to their own devices until their insurance runs out. The result is an overdosing nightmare as well as an increase in homelessness, code enforcement violations, and crime.

Making matters worse, cities and towns feel regulation and consumer protection would be in violation of Federal law. As a consequence, we are seeing thousands of sober homes in south Florida disrupting services and the health and safety of neighborhoods and leaving young people who are trying to repair their lives spiraling back into hopelessness.

Mr. Chair, I urge this Congress and the President to work with folks in my area and around the country to find the proper balance between protecting the rights of addicts and getting them recovered and keeping the integrity and character of our neighborhoods.

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