Experts speak about positive impact of sober homes during Dixon town hall

DIXON – Medical and law enforcement officials along with recovery advocates spoke about the benefits a sober house could bring to the area during a town hall Tuesday.

In March, Sauk Valley Voices of Recovery petitioned the city to have 403 E. Fellows St. designated a “lodging house” for the purpose of opening a sober living facility for up to 11 men recovering from substance abuse disorder, and two staff members who would serve as recovery coaches.

The group is a nonprofit community organization advocating for those recovering from alcohol and substance addiction in Lee, Whiteside and Ogle counties.

The goal is to build an environment that encourages, promotes and sustains healthy recovery.

The organization withdrew its petition after finding out that the city doesn’t have a zoning designation that would fit the project.

A sober living home is one in which abusers who have completed rehab live for a time, getting treatment and supporting one another while they attend school, find jobs and work on their recovery. It’s a way to keep them from returning to their previous environments, where they used, had friends who used, and likely don’t have the services and support needed to maintain their sobriety.

A neighborhood group formed to oppose having the home in a residential area, and the city organized a town hall listening session at the Loveland Community House and Museum to address concerns.

Natalie Andrews, who’s worked at Sinnissippi Centers for 40 years including as a clinical social worker and director of adult services, spoke about the importance of having a safe and healthy environment for those recovering from addiction, and how people need opportunities for continuing care at a multitude of levels.

In 2019, KSB Hospital received a $1 million grant to create a network combating substance abuse in the region. The grant was used to implement Project Open, a consortium of medical, behavioral health, public health, public school and law enforcement professionals, to focus on opioid prevention across all ages through awareness, education and training.

Part of the project was to analyze the needs in the community and find gaps with prevention, treatment and recovery in the area. Sauk Valley Voices of Recovery is helping to address gaps, one of which is to increase recovery and sober homes, Project Open Director Aaqil Khan said.

Police Chief Steve Howell said Lott has been helping with the Safe Passage initiative for two years, and he’s hoping to alleviate one of the challenges those in recovery face, finding housing.

Voices of Recovery serves hundreds of people each year, including providing 40 treatment transports for Safe Passage last month as well as 250 recovery coaching sessions, Voices Executive Director Gerald Lott said.

The home, in an R-2 residential zoning district, may have up to five unrelated residents, and it has been operating during the last three months under those restrictions.

It’s a place where people learn to sustain their recovery, he said. Tenants pay house dues and must follow a stringent list of rules. All applicants go through a background check and must meet several requirements before being accepted. Residents aren’t encouraged to live there for more than a year.

“Our house is not a fix for a broken person,” Lott said. “It’s like a cast for a broken arm; it only supports while the healing sets in.”

The Sinnissippi Recovery Home at 922 W. Washington Ave. opened in 2018 for up to 10 men, and 66 out of 89 residents have been successfully discharged, Sinnissippi President/CEO Patrick Phelan said. It will also need amended zoning.

The home is a valuable resource for the community with aiding people who might otherwise be homeless and continuing to relapse and suffer from addiction, he said.

“A sober home provides not only additional resources but a level of care that’s not there at the moment,” Phelan said.

John Payne, a retired Lee County judge, said city officials should give “serious thought” to concerns as others will be sure to apply to open more sober homes in Dixon.

Unlike recovery homes, sober homes are not required to be licensed, and there have been instances of fraud and abuses at other homes, Payne said.

He said issues include the number of people in the home, parking, distances between sober homes, and people outside of Dixon becoming residents in the home. Dixon residents might not want to be part of it because they might be seen by others knowing they’re in a sober home, he said, and he asked if they’ve tried opening a home in other cities.

Khan said the stigma of addiction is harmful to recovery, and it’s possible residents wouldn’t want to live there “if there’s a lot of negative perception and a lot of piercing eyes.”

One of the goals is to open three recovery homes in each of the major areas in the Sauk Valley, such as Dixon and Sterling, one for men, one for women and one for families, Khan said. They started with Dixon because of its history of supporting recovery efforts.

Lott said they haven’t tried for a second house yet because they’re still in the process for the first, most of the residents don’t have cars so there’s not a parking issue, and he’s been available to answer questions and concerns for months.

“The fact of the matter is, the opposition to our house started before anyone lived there,” Lott said.

Sarah Kent, who grew up in the Fellows home, said the house had fallen into “horrible decline” over the years, and Lott is doing a great thing for the community by fixing it up and helping those recovering.

“I hope everyone can take it into their hearts to welcome this opportunity,” she said.

The City Council could approve a zoning waiver for the sober house or create appropriate zoning. No action was taken during the town hall.