A sober living house in Maryland has been repeatedly fined by the city for operating as a boarding house, begging the question, where can these facilities be located?
The owner of a sober living home says the Maryland town of Thurmont is discriminating against him after the town imposed several fines for zoning violations, reports Skyler Sales for DC News Now.
Owner Korey Shorb, who has been running the house since 2017, “claims that the fines are discriminating against them because they are a sober living house, even though the house is protected through the federal Fair Housing Act.”
In a statement, the city’s attorney said “This zoning violation relates solely to the operation of the house by a business owner as a boarding facility in a single-family R-2 zone. The R-2 zone does not permit a boarding house use.”
The case poses a broader question for similar facilities that, while viewed as boarding houses in local zoning codes, provide a secure, long-term housing option for people who may have difficulty accessing other housing opportunities.
FULL STORY: Sober house claims discrimination after receiving several fines for zoning regulations
Colorado Bill Would Legalize Housing ‘In God’s Backyard’
Churches and religious institutions around the country are calling for zoning reforms that would allow them to build housing on their underused properties.
Midtown Manhattan Rezoning Proposal Could Yield Almost 10,000 Housing Units
A plan to alter zoning for parts of Midtown would permit new housing and make it easier to convert office buildings to residential units.
Colorado Church Fights for Right to Provide Housing
A church in Castle Rock, Colorado is suing the city, pointing out the lack of shelter options for unhoused residents in the area.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Detroit Transit Agency Requests $20M Budget Increase
The Detroit Department of Transportation wants to boost ridership by hiring more drivers, buying new buses, and enhancing station infrastructure.
California Bill Aims to Boost TOD
A bill proposed by Sen. Scott Wiener would exempt transit agencies from zoning rules near ‘high-quality’ transit stops and allow denser transit-oriented development.
Report: One-Fifth of Seattle Households Are Car-Free
According to one local writer, the city’s low rate of car ownership should encourage officials to support public transit and reduce parking minimums.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
_at_the_exit_for_Maryland_State_Route_77_(West_Main_Street,_Thurmont)_in_Thurmont,_Frederick_County,_Maryland.jpg){kind=link}
Strategic Economics Inc
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service