More than a year after Montgomery County officials said 42 group homes were out of compliance with fire safety regulations, roughly half the homes still lack the sprinkler systems necessary to protect elderly, juvenile and disabled residents.

In the summer of 2007, Montgomery County Council members set aside $250,000  to install sprinkler systems in the homes that lacked bedroom windows large enough to serve as emergency exits, putting the residents in danger and the homes out of compliance with safety codes, according to fire department inspectors.