I am writing to express my strong opposition to the city ordinance passed last week by the Altoona City Council regarding the new licensing program for halfway/recovery and institutionalized facilities. While the goal of “safety” is a sentiment we all share, this ordinance creates a redundant and overbearing layer of bureaucracy that threatens to stifle vital services.

The city must recognize that these facilities are already among the most heavily regulated buildings in the commonwealth. Providers are required to meet the standards of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the licensing regulations of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. These state-level mandates include strict adherence to physical plant codes, fire safety and environmental standards specifically designed for treatment environments.

By imposing an additional “local licensing program,” the city is asking providers to pay twice and be inspected twice. This move adds costs and delays that could prevent life-saving beds from being available to those in need.

Municipalities across the country that attempt to regulate halfway and recovery housing through localized zoning or licensing often face federal legal challenges. Treating people in recovery as a “problem to be managed” rather than neighbors who need housing increases the risk of overdose and community harm.

If a facility is good enough to meet the licensing requirements of DDAP and clinical standards of ASAM, it should be good enough for the City. We should work to support these providers and the residents they serve, not bury them under red tape.

Greg McConnell

Altoona resident and business owner