Residents in besieged city and county neighborhoods say too many group homes ? privately run residential facilities for the elderly, mentally ill and juvenile delinquents ? are concentrated in too few areas.
But bill a that passed the 2006 Maryland General Assembly Friday may offer some relief ? if not a long-term solution ? to the problem.
Using residential zoning laws to dictate where group homes locate violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, but residents in both the county and city living are fed up and demanding action.
“They?re out of control in our community,” said Jody Landers, a Lauraville resident.
State Del. Dan Morhaim, D-11th District, who sponsored the bill, said money is the key to preventing group homes from clustering. “They tried to use zoning, and it hasn?t worked,” Morhaim said. “I dealt with the problem from a procurement perspective.”
The law would make all state contracts with group home operators contingent on locating a home where the state deems it is needed. “If we?re spending the money, we should be able to pick where the service will be provided,” Morhaim said.
Morhaim?s bill would require the state to do a “needs assessment” to determine which areas have the highest demand for group homes, and award contracts based on the findings.
Gov. Robert Erhlich?s spokesman, Henry Fawell, said the governor is “receptive” to the idea.
