On November 10, 2016 the United States Departments of Justice and Housing and Urban Development Released Updated Fair Housing Act Guidance on State and Local Land Use Laws related to group housing. 

Recently, the City has received numerous inquiries for development of group homes in the City. 

The Land Development Regulations, which is part of the City’s Code of Ordinances, needs updating to incorporate, regulate and control the location of group homes within the City consistent with standards set forth by the United States Departments of Justice and Housing and Urban Development. 

Staff is requesting an up to six months moratorium on the processing and issuance of any new licenses, business tax receipts, certificates of use, permits, or site plans for a group home within the City in order to study, evaluate and create the regulations and additional standards for the placement and development of group homes within the City, and incorporate those regulations into the City’s Land Development Regulations. 

This Ordinance is being adopted in order to allow the City time to thoroughly review, study and revise the City’s definition of "group homes" and to enable the City to adequately and appropriately balance the rights of existing operators and future applicants who wish to establish or expand group homes in the City on the one hand, with the preservation of the health, safety and welfare of the communities in the City of Riviera Beach on the other hand.