Republican Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Keep Recovery Houses Farther Away From Tennessee Kids

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

A Republican lawmaker has introduced legislation that would regulate recovery houses and keep them further away from children.

Representative Greg Martin (R-Hamilton County-District 26) is the sponsor for House Bill 0783 (HB0783) which would allow local governments to adopt ordinances that require a sober living home to be located at least 1,000 feet away from any K-12 school, preschool or daycare facility.

The bill would also require that operators of homes for individuals recovering from alcohol, drug, or other substance abuse seek a clinical referral from a licensed healthcare provider before a placement in a recovery house is made. The referral would have to state that the placement in such a home is medically indicated for the individual.

In addition, any ordinance or resolution that a local governing body may make must also comply with the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The Tennessee Conservative reported at the end of 2024 that a communal house for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts was found located in the residential neighborhood of Chase Meadows, home to over fifty families in Hamilton County. 

The halfway house is also located near an elementary school.

Hamilton County Citizens Fear For Safety Of Their Children Due To Drug Addiction, Alcohol Recovery House Being Located Near Elementary School

To make matters worse, the house is self-managed by offenders who reside there with no oversight by the Tennessee Department of Corrections or any other public agency.

Owned by the non-profit organization Oxford House, the Chase Meadows recovery house is just one of 29 such houses in Hamilton County alone. According to their website, the non-profit lists 173 houses in total, located in 10 different counties in Tennessee.

Chase Meadows residents fear for the safety of their children following a shooting that occurred last November close to Hixson Elementary school. The shooting, which involved a resident of the recovery house, happened just minutes after children walked by on their way to school. 

The Chattanooga Police Department have received frequent emergency calls regarding drug and larceny activity at the house, as well as psychiatric emergency calls. In 2023, law enforcement responded to a “dead on arrival” call due to a fatality resulting from a Fentanyl, Meth, and Cocaine overdose.

Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp, who responded to the concerns of Chase Meadows residents last year, said, “While I certainly understand the value of our local rehabilitation facilities, it is my strong opinion that halfway houses that house criminal defendants should not be able to operate in residential neighborhoods and certainly not near elementary schools.”

Chattanooga Area Drug, Alcohol Recovery House Near Elementary School Run By Offenders

Wamp, who requested the property/deed/tax information from the registrars office, found that the property, while zoned for a single family residence, is clearly not being used in this fashion.

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.