The Virginia Court of Appeals upheld Nashville, Tenn.-based Newport Healthcare’s legal right to operate residential treatment homes in Leesburg, Va., for young adults with mental health disorders.
The court ruled that Newport’s licensed group homes qualify as single-family detached dwellings under Virginia zoning law and clients residing for 30 to 90 days are entitled to fair housing protections, according to a Dec. 16 news release. The decision affirms protections under the federal Fair Housing Act, which bars local governments from imposing restrictions not applied to conventional single-family homes.
The case centered on whether Newport’s homes could legally operate in areas zoned as “agricultural residential.” The ruling marks the first appellate interpretation of Virginia’s group-home zoning statute, setting a precedent for similar cases statewide.
The appeals court dismissed arguments that a history of substance use among residents excluded the homes from legal protections, according to the news release.
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