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Resident urges action on 'triage' homes; city staff say state law limits local regulation
Summary
A Fairfield resident described repeated disturbances tied to a property operated by Inclusive Housing and urged council to act. City staff and police said state law preempts some local regulation of small group homes and advised continued incident reporting and contacting state legislators; staff offered to follow up with enforcement visits.
Resident Jason Leiblein (S10) told council he lives near an address he described as operating a 'mental health triage' center (5648 Lindenwood Lane) and said the site has produced repeated police calls and disturbances that have made his neighborhood unsafe. Leiblein said he had 'probably 25' police reports and complained that the site felt like a business operating next to single-family homes.
Leiblein identified the operator as Inclusive Housing Incorporated (also referenced in public records as Inclusive Housing Resources) and said he had contacted building and zoning staff and the operator. He asked what the city could do immediately to protect his family and neighborhood.
Staff and police representatives (S16/S13/S17) responded that the city has looked into such properties, that the frequency of these facilities has increased over the last two to three years, but that local authority is limited by state law. Staff said facilities that house six or fewer people typically fall under state preemption and are permitted in residential neighborhoods after required building permits and inspections; the city can check whether a given location still meets the 'group home' definition and can enforce building or nuisance laws where applicable.
Police staff said the best immediate action is to document incidents: 'I would continue to call police and make reports because that is the only way that I see for...' (S16). City staff said documentation could support state-level reviews of licensing if patterns of problematic behavior emerge. Council agreed to have staff follow up, to visit the operator's Mack Road office, and to provide the resident with contact information to reach state legislators Jennifer Gross and George Lang, who were named by speakers as representatives whose offices could be contacted for state action.
No formal action or ordinance was taken at the meeting; staff framed the remedy as a combination of enforcement where possible and escalation to state regulators where the city's regulatory reach is limited.
