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Resident urges Kearney to review zoning definitions after rise in Oxford houses
Summary
A resident urged the council to revisit zoning code language on group homes and occupancy limits after research on Oxford Houses and Fair Housing Act protections; staff said code terminology is outdated and will be added to a list for updates.
Kent Schroeder, a resident who identified himself and his address, told the council he had researched an Oxford House at 3615 I Avenue and explained that Oxford Houses are recovery residences protected under the Fair Housing Act and therefore should be treated as single-family dwellings under federal law. He said the houses must comply with zoning but are protected from discriminatory local restrictions and urged the city to consider "a reasonable restriction regarding the maximum number of nonrelated occupants in a single family neighborhood."
City staff (speaker 6) said the terminology in the city code is outdated and that staff would add the issue to the list of code updates; staff also observed that some aspects are governed by federal law and cited consultations with Lincoln's assistant city attorney on similar issues. The council acknowledged the comment and indicated staff would follow up with legal and planning review rather than take immediate action at the meeting.
