Safe Recovery and Community Empowerment Act

To amend the Fair Housing Act to better protect persons with disabilities and communities. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safe Recovery and Community Empowerment Act 2. Zoning and licensing of residential recovery facilities The Fair Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C. 3601 42 U.S.C. 3607 807A. Nothing in this title, or other Federal law, relating to protections for persons with disabilities, prohibits any local, State, or Federal government body from— (1) requiring by law, regulation, or ordinance a reasonable minimum distance between residential recovery facilities within a particular area zoned for residential housing, provided that the limitation— (A) is necessary to preserve the residential character of the zoned area; and (B) allows for some residential recovery facilities to be located within the zoned area; and (2) requiring that a residential recovery facility and its owner or operator— (A) obtain an operating license or use permit; or (B) satisfy a set of consumer protection standards, which may include a maximum capacity requirement. . 3. Residential recovery facility residents’ bill of rights Residential recovery facilities receiving direct or indirect payments or reimbursements or other remunerations from Medicare, Medicaid, or any other Federal healthcare program, or via private insurance purchased on a Federal exchange or subsidized by the Federal Government, for either housing, recovery services, or testing or monitoring for drugs or alcohol, shall ensure the following: (1) Each residential recovery facility resident residing in the home or receiving addiction treatment services be provided a safe living environment completely free from illicit drugs, alcohol, firearms, harassment, abuse, or harm. (2) Residential recovery facility residents live in a licensed, or registered residence that has committed to following standards approved by States and localities, if such standards are in place. 4. Definitions Section 802 of the Fair Housing Act ( 42 U.S.C. 3602 (p) Current, illegal use of a controlled substance (q) Residential recovery facility .

Summary: Safe Recovery and Community Empowerment Act This bill amends the Fair Housing Act to provide that nothing in federal law relating to protections for persons with disabilities prohibits a local, state, or federal government body from: requiring a reasonable minimum distance between residential recovery facilities within a particular area zoned for residential housing if such requirement is necessary to preserve the residential character of the area and allows for some of such facilities to be located within such area; and requiring that such a facility obtain an operating license or use permit or satisfy a set of consumer protection standards, which may include a maximum capacity requirement. A residential recovery facility is a residence that provides housing to individuals in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction with the promise of providing a clean and sober environment in return for direct or indirect payment to an owner, operator, or compensated staff person. Facilities receiving payments from a federal health care program, or via private insurance purchased on a federal exchange or federally subsidized, for either housing, recovery services, or testing or monitoring for drugs or alcohol shall ensure that residents: (1) are provided a safe living environment completely free from illicit drugs, alcohol, firearms, harassment, abuse, or harm; and (2) live in a licensed or registered residence that has committed to following standards approved by states and localities.