Fact Sheet on TERI home in Bressi sent out from the City of Carlsbad:
TERI Group Home
Bressi Ranch
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
The City of Carlsbad has been contacted by some residents with questions about the recent purchase
of a Bressi Ranch home by the Training Education and Research Institute (TERI) to serve six
developmentally disabled adults. To help ensure the community has accurate information, the City
has prepared this Questions &Answers document.
The Training Education and Research Institute (or TERI) is a nonprofit organization that provides
services to individuals with developmental and learning disabilities. TERI is a well respected
organization that was established and has been operating since 1980. The organization has enjoyed
substantial support throughout North County, and numerous families from Carlsbad have utilized
their services for many years. TERI has owned and operated a single family group home in the La
Costa area of Carlsbad for 27 years. The organization currently administers residential programs in
10 group homes and operates a day program for 180 adults with developmental disabilities.
Residents in TERI’s programs receive “active treatment” in both their living environment and day
programs. Active treatment supports the client in the activities of daily living through teaching,
modeling and assisting. Clients attend a day program Monday through Friday from 9:00am to
3:00pm with TERI providing transportation to and from this activity.
What funding was provided by the City and why?
TERI applied for a Community Development Block Grant or “CDBG” loan from the City of
Carlsbad in February 2008 to help them acquire another home in Carlsbad that could be used to
house up to six clients with autism and developmental disabilities. Within the application, TERI
noted that persons with developmental disabilities have a need to live as normally as possible, and
residential programs of no more than six individuals are particularly effective in building a sense of
family and community. At the time of application, TERI had not yet selected a home to purchase. It
was not possible to identify a property at the time due to the substantial processing time required
before TERI would have received confirmation of project funding. TERI, however, did provide
information on the type of home that would be suitable for the noted residence. The ideal property
was a single family home with 4 to 5 bedrooms and approximately 3 bathrooms. The selection and
purchase of the specific home was made after the funding was awarded by the City, which is
acceptable under the CDBG program.
CDBG funds are provided by the federal government to assist communities in meeting the needs of
low income households of all types, including those with special needs such as the disabled. The
application process for these funds begins in November/December of each year for the following
program year. For example, funding requested in December 2008 will not be available to the
applicant until approximately August/September of 2009. The application process is a lengthy public
process that includes review by a Citizens Advisory Committee, several public hearings before the
City Council, and general public notices on intended use(s) of the funds. In accepting the funds, the
City agrees that it will not engage in any discriminatory activity and will make every effort to
advertise availability of the funds and encourage organizations to apply for funding to meet the
diverse needs of the low income populations within the community. TERI is an eligible applicant
that submitted a project for funding that meets both national and local objectives for the CDBG
program.
The CDBG Advisory Committee, which is made up of a resident from each quadrant of the City, a
Housing Commissioner, Senior Commissioner and Planning Commissioner, recommended and City
Council approved a loan of $795,000 for TERI to acquire a home in Carlsbad. TERI was required to
demonstrate that it is using matching funds of one dollar for every two dollars of City CDBG funds.
TERI also received approval of a loan from the federal Department of Housing and Urban
Development or “HUD” for $582,900 to assist in the purchase and improvements needed to utilize
and license the property as a group home with the State of California.
Is a Group Home allowed in a residential neighborhood? Is a notice required to the neighbors?
State law and the City of Carlsbad’s Zoning Ordinance both allow residential care facilities (or group
homes) serving six or fewer persons in a residential zone. For the purposes of determining the
appropriateness of the group home occupying a single family home, “family” is defined in the
Carlsbad Zoning Ordinance (Section 21.04.145) as “a reasonable number of persons who constitute
a bona fide single housekeeping unit.” The definition includes residents and operators of a
residential care facility serving six or fewer persons. Section 21.04.300 of the Carlsbad Zoning
Code defines “residential care facility” as “a state authorized, certified or licensed family care home,
foster home or group home serving mentally disordered or otherwise handicapped persons, or
dependent and neglected children where care is provided on a twenty-four hour a day basis.” This
use (group home) is permitted without any discretionary permits issued by the City. State law
prohibits the City from requiring a permit for such a use as it would be deemed discrimination
against disabled individuals. Therefore, there is no public process for approval and/or noticing to
neighbors. The use is permitted by right. Because it is comparable to any type of family moving into
a single family home, noticing of this specific family type (disabled) would be discriminatory.
How was the location selected? Why did the City allow the purchase in Bressi Ranch?
After many months of searching for a suitable home, TERI decided to purchase the property at 6205
Alverton Drive (within Bressi Ranch) for approximately $1 million. The price paid was based on a
fair market appraisal of the property as of October 7, 2008. Escrow closed on the purchase in late
November, 2008. The Group home is currently being retrofitted to meet state requirements and is
not yet occupied.
Under the Federal Fair Housing Act, it is against the law to direct homebuyers to certain
neighborhoods only, make housing unavailable, or deny a dwelling based on race/color, national
origin, religion, gender, familial status, or disability. It is also against the law to harass, coerce,
intimidate, or interfere with anyone exercising or assisting someone else with their fair housing
rights. The City and other parties (including real estate agents) to this transaction would have
engaged in a discriminatory practice if it had directed TERI to an alternate neighborhood within
Carlsbad and/or another City.
Is a $1 million home to serve six people an appropriate use of taxpayer money?
TERI operates homes in communities throughout North County. TERI’s goal is to house its clients
in the communities where their families live or where they have roots. In Carlsbad, it is fairly
expensive to provide affordable housing for low income households, especially the disabled. Based
on Carlsbad’s experience in providing low income affordable housing, it currently costs a minimum
of approximately $275,000 to produce a single rental housing unit. If we were to assume that each of
these six adults were to be housed separately, the cost is estimated at $1,650,000. The purchase of a
$1 million single, large group home is reasonable and appropriate in comparison to the construction
of individual units.
What laws and government agencies oversee group homes like this?
The California Department of Social Services licenses care facilities for persons who cannot live
alone but who do not need extensive medical services. The agency ensures community care facilities
operate according to applicable laws and regulations (California Health & Safety Code and Title 22
of the California Code of Regulations). Compliance is maintained through unannounced facility
inspections, complaint investigations, issuing deficiency notices, consultations, education and
technical support. More information is available on the department’s Web site, http://www.ccld.ca.gov. If you have questions about licensing and monitoring of group homes, you
may contact the San Diego Residential Office for the California Department of Social Services at
(619) 767-2300. Ask for the Group Home Duty Worker.
