Sen. Umberg introduces final part of Cal Cities’ recovery housing package

By Caroline Grinder, Legislative Advocate, Community Services

Last week, Sen. Tom Umberg reintroduced a Cal Cities-sponsored bill aimed at increasing state oversight of unlicensed sober living homes. SB 35 builds on a bill Cal Cities sponsored last year, incorporating provisions that allow cities to help enforce state licensure laws.

“Ensuring the quality of care in substance use disorder treatment facilities is not just about regulatory compliance — it’s about protecting some of our most vulnerable populations,” said Senator Umberg. “I worry that the Legislature’s failure to pass last year’s bill sent the wrong message to those struggling with addiction — that their well-being isn’t a priority. I know that’s not the case, and I’m proud to bring SB 35 forward to close the loopholes that enable substandard care and predatory practices in sober living and treatment communities.”

The bill responds to recommendations from a recent state audit requested by Asm. Diane Dixon, which revealed that the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has not consistently investigated allegations of unlicensed facilities providing or advertising treatment services. In many cases, the department has failed to conduct site visits, do other follow-up and ensure illegal operations have stopped.

In one example highlighted in the audit, DHCS substantiated an allegation that an unlicensed facility was unlawfully providing services. However, the audit found no indication the department followed up to verify the facility’s claim that it had ceased operations — nor did it conduct a site visit to confirm compliance.

To address these gaps, the auditor recommended that DHCS improve the timeliness of inspections and complaint investigations, conduct more site visits, and establish follow-up procedures to ensure unlicensed facilities cease unlawful operations.

SB 35 would implement these recommendations by requiring DHCS to meet specific timelines for investigating allegations of unlicensed treatment services. If the department fails to meet these deadlines, cities and counties could seek approval to conduct site visits and enforce licensure laws themselves. SB 35 also requires DHCS to conduct follow-up site visits to ensure unlawful activity has stopped.

This proposal rounds out Cal Cities sponsored recovery housing bill package for this year. Cal Cities is sponsoring three other recovery housing proposals: SB 329 (Blakespear), AB 492 (Valencia), and AB 424 (Davies). These measures will strengthen state oversight to protect residents and communities.