http://ellensmith.org/blog/2007/04/18/halfway-houses/ Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:35:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://ellensmith.org/blog/2007/04/18/halfway-houses/#comment-883 Ellen Smith Fri, 11 May 2007 22:20:11 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=40#comment-883 An article in yesterday's paper, <a href="http://www.oakridger.com/stories/051007/new_168826059.shtml" rel="nofollow"> Questions remain on group homes</a>, tells about the current issues with the remaining establishments in the Lansing Rd. neighborhood. If the article is accurate, it seems that Recovery Living Properties Inc. may be operating an unsupervised halfway-house facility -- not a recipe for good relations with the neighbors. Meanwhile, it seems that Hope of East Tennessee, the nonprofit that has been in the neighborhood for more than 3 decades, may have changed its operations to house not just ex-substance-abusers, but also convicted-felon parolees. Since many felony convictions are a side effect of addiction, this may not be a <b>real</b> change in their clientele, but it is reasonable for the city Board of Zoning Appeals to take a closer look at their operation and how it affects the neighborhood. An article in yesterday’s paper, Questions remain on group homes, tells about the current issues with the remaining establishments in the Lansing Rd. neighborhood. If the article is accurate, it seems that Recovery Living Properties Inc. may be operating an unsupervised halfway-house facility — not a recipe for good relations with the neighbors. Meanwhile, it seems that Hope of East Tennessee, the nonprofit that has been in the neighborhood for more than 3 decades, may have changed its operations to house not just ex-substance-abusers, but also convicted-felon parolees. Since many felony convictions are a side effect of addiction, this may not be a real change in their clientele, but it is reasonable for the city Board of Zoning Appeals to take a closer look at their operation and how it affects the neighborhood.

]]> http://ellensmith.org/blog/2007/04/18/halfway-houses/#comment-577 Ellen Smith Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:33:30 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=40#comment-577 It seems that a similar discussion is going on over on the AtomicTumor site: http://www.atomictumor.com/2007/04/18/nimby/ I'm pleased to see that several local folks are willing to give well-managed facilities a chance. It seems that a similar discussion is going on over on the AtomicTumor site: http://www.atomictumor.com/2007/04/18/nimby/
I’m pleased to see that several local folks are willing to give well-managed facilities a chance.

]]> http://ellensmith.org/blog/2007/04/18/halfway-houses/#comment-575 Ellen Smith Sun, 22 Apr 2007 19:10:35 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=40#comment-575 Please be advised that my comments about the "well-operated" establishments were based on discussion with long-time residents of that neighborhood. Please be advised that my comments about the “well-operated” establishments were based on discussion with long-time residents of that neighborhood.

]]> http://ellensmith.org/blog/2007/04/18/halfway-houses/#comment-571 allFORit Sun, 22 Apr 2007 15:36:51 +0000 http://ellensmith.org/blog/?p=40#comment-571 So you feel sorry for the halfway houses in Oak Ridge. As you posted on your site “Properly operated halfway houses make our community a safer place, because they are an important part of the system that helps substance abusers return to being productive members of the community. This particular neighborhood has hosted a couple of well-operated not-for-profit halfway houses for many years without problems. Let’s hope they can continue that record for many years in the future.” You don’t have a clue when it comes to “well-operated”. The halfway houses are being chased out by a neighborhood that is tired of dealing with their poor operations. Again, you need to get the facts before you cough. The city has spent too much of the tax payers money, time and energy to ensure expectations are being met set forth by Code Enforcements. “Past” drug addicts are claiming to try to “habilitate” and “recover” those who “want to get and stay clean”. Once a meth addict, always a meth addict. So you feel sorry for the halfway houses in Oak Ridge. As you posted on your site “Properly operated halfway houses make our community a safer place, because they are an important part of the system that helps substance abusers return to being productive members of the community. This particular neighborhood has hosted a couple of well-operated not-for-profit halfway houses for many years without problems. Let’s hope they can continue that record for many years in the future.” You don’t have a clue when it comes to “well-operated”. The halfway houses are being chased out by a neighborhood that is tired of dealing with their poor operations. Again, you need to get the facts before you cough. The city has spent too much of the tax payers money, time and energy to ensure expectations are being met set forth by Code Enforcements. “Past” drug addicts are claiming to try to “habilitate” and “recover” those who “want to get and stay clean”. Once a meth addict, always a meth addict.

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