Lebanon residents urge state action after video shows group-home resident entering neighbor's house

A Lebanon resident described a disturbing Facebook video of a woman from a nearby group home forcing her way into a home on North Pearl, prompting multiple public comments and a city response at the Dec. 22, 2025 Lebanon City Council meeting.

"Somebody please help me. I had children," the resident said in reference to shouting captured on the video, drawing concern from neighbors who called the footage "horrific" and said the homeowner and her children are now fearful. Another resident told the council, "The community owes her protection of some sort," arguing the group‑home resident appears not to be properly supervised.

Council discussion centered on what local officials can do and what must be handled by state authorities. City staff member Luke said the incident is an active police investigation and emphasized that "we as a city do not have any control over criminal charges, criminal investigations other than what PD does," adding that licensing and enforcement of group‑home operations are primarily controlled at the state level. He told the council staff is pushing state agencies that oversee licensing and investigations while exploring any code or ordinance options that do not exceed the city's legal authority.

Alderman Shawn Belky spoke forcefully about the public safety stakes, urging the homeowner to pursue legal remedies and telling the council "Defend your property at all costs" in the course of a wider plea for action. Belky said some residents believe the operator may have first opened without local permission and urged the city to press the responsible agencies.

Council members and staff encouraged citizens to contact state legislators, noting the legal constraints stem from a state statute, and agreed to collect constituent letters to send to state officials. The mayor and staff set a procedural deadline: letters from residents will be gathered for the council's next full meeting on Jan. 5, 2026, so the city can forward them together as part of its outreach to state regulators.

What the council will not take unilaterally was also made clear: staff warned that adopting local ordinances that single out group homes can expose the city to civil liability under existing case law. Luke said the city can pursue nuisance and building‑code violations where applicable, but many of the licensing and oversight actions cited during the meeting are controlled by state agencies.

Next steps recorded at the meeting: the city will compile resident letters by the Jan. 5 meeting and continue to push the relevant state licensing and investigative agencies, while police continue the active investigation. No new local ordinance or permit requirement for group homes was adopted at the Dec. 22 session.