04/10/2012 -ATIN- An unprecedented boom in the South Florida addiction treatment center, drug rehab and alcohol rehab industry, already a significant contribution to the local economy and now even more so as a deep housing crisis continues to stifle economic growth, is sparking the usual NIMBY – not-in-my-backyard- attitudes from residents and local politicians. But that is what NIMBY seems to be remaining – an attitude. This is largely due to pioneering legal efforts by the founder of Boca House, with dozens of affordable locations in the area it is likely the largest for profit sober home operation in the nation, who spent over $1M fighting NIMBY in federal court, and winning. That key legal precedent has paved the way for new players like TLC Recovery, which in the next several weeks will be opening a high end sober home on a scale, and with an investment, that has rarely been seen outside of Malibu – and never in Florida. Linda Potere, a long time consultant to the addiction industry, not just in Florida but throughout the nation, is amazed by the growth in the industry. “Over the past year, I know of at least 20 new addiction treatment operations that have opened their doors,” she says. And local governments continue to try to manage that growth. But the poor economy and tight municipal budgets – it was reported today that foreclosures continue to rise in the area – are getting in the way. Delray Beach – the epicenter of the South Florida addictions industry and arguably, next to Newport Beach, CA, home to more addictions businesses than any other locality – created a housing inspection job just to regulate the explosive growth in local sober homes. But unable to afford the position, the city council recently proposed privatizing the job. TLC Recovery is not the only super high-end addition to the Florida scene. Venerable Caron Foundation will soon be opening Ocean Drive, a $120K for 60-days operation. Both Caron and TLC Recovery have turned to attorney Jim Green, who won the federal case for Boca House, to advise them on NIMBY ins-and-outs. The NIMBY issue is generating front page news, with TLC Recovery’s luxurious facility pictured prominently in yesterday’s South Florida Sun Sentinel, Florida largest newspaper. TLC President Allie Naitkin told Treatment Magazine he didn’t mind the NIMBY publicity at all: “We got four calls from people who saw the story and want to come and stay with us.” With South Florida economic growth lagging national growth significantly, hungover as it is from housing excesses much the same way as Las Vegas and other former real estate boom areas, local officials will have to walk a NIMBY fine line with the treatment industry given its rising importance as a growth generator.
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