BARC

Message sent to Tim Ryan:

The Croissant Park Civic Association Board would like an update on the County's proposal to relocate the BARC facility.  Thank you, Beth Falkenhagen


Response:

Dear Ms. Falkenhagen:

Thank you for e-mailing me to request an update about the status of the relocation of the Broward Addiction Recovery Center (BARC), and to express your concerns about this issue, as well as about sober houses in your neighborhood.  I am happy to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Currently, Broward County and the City of Fort Lauderdale are in negotiations to reach an agreement that would allow for BARC to be moved from its current location in the Sailboat Bend neighborhood to county-owned property on SW28th Street between SW 4^th Avenue and SW 3^rd Avenue. 

I understand and share some of the concerns you have about sober houses, but there are some differences between BARC and sober houses that are important to keep in mind.

Sober houses are group homes run by private companies, and unfortunately are not currently regulated at all.  Such facilities can thus range from being very reputable and well-run programs, to operations run by unscrupulous persons concerned only with profits. There are limitations on the type of regulations that can be placed on sober houses, under the federal Fair Housing Act and Americans With Disabilities Act.  Nonetheless, I fully support efforts by the Florida Legislature to require sober houses to be inspected and certified by the Department of Children & Families to ensure these facilities meet basic health and safety requirements.   Proposed legislation did not pass during the 2014 Legislative Session, but my colleagues on the County Commission and I will continue to advocate for its passage.

In contrast with privately-run sober houses, BARC is a county-run residential and outpatient substance abuse treatment program that has operated in Broward County for more than 40 years.   In the time that BARC has been in the Sailboat Bend neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale, there has not been any data that suggest an increase in criminal activity related to BARC’s presence.

There are a number of reasons why I support the relocation of BARC to its new location in a primarily commercial/industrial area of Fort Lauderdale on Southwest Third Avenue, south of State Road 84.

First, it’s important for BARC to be located near the Broward County Courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale.  Most people who receive treatment at BARC choose to do so under the authority of the court, and they remain under judicial supervision throughout their treatment.  The new BARC site is close to the courthouse, so that BARC’s patients can receive both the treatment and court monitoring they need.

Second, the county has made several changes to the design of the new BARC facility that will make it a better fit for the SW 4th Avenue site and surrounding area.

• Originally, the county planned to have two social service agencies on the site – the BARC and the Nancy J. Cotterman Sexual Assault Treatment Center.  The county is now willing  locate only BARC on the site.
• The county is also willing to locate BARC on the east side of the site, and to have the building’s entrance facing east along SW 3rd Avenue in a commercial/industrial area.  This will leave more buffer space between BARC and the nearby Seagull School.
• The county has also agreed to list the western part of the site for sale on the open real estate market, which will allow for development in keeping with the surrounding commercial and light industrial activity in the neighborhood.  This will both add economic activity and place property back on the tax rolls.

 

These are significant improvements to the plan that address many of the concerns raised by residents and several of us on the city commission.

One final point to keep in mind is that in the time that BARC was located in the Sailboat Bend neighborhood, it was a good neighbor to the residents there. We did not have any significant criminal or other undesirable activity associated with the facility or its clients. 

Most of the people at BARC simply want to complete their treatment, remain in good standing with the court and get their lives turned around.  I fully expect that will continue with BARC in its new location.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts about this issue with me.

Sincerely,

 

Tim Ryan, Vice Mayor

Broward County Commission – District 7

115 S. Andrews Avenue

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

(954) 357-7007

tryan@broward.org