Five-Hundred-Year Flood Plains and Other Unconstitutional Challenges to the Establishment of Community Residences for the Mentally Disabled

Abstract

This article examines the impact of state statutes and local ordinances on the establishment of community residences for the mentally disabled. While some states have policies advocating for community residences, these policies are often undermined by barriers such as neighborhood opposition and statutes and ordinances that impede development. The author analyzes the application of the equal protection clause to statutes and ordinances affecting the mental disabled, ultimately concluding that many are unconstitutional. Finally, the author discusses the impact of City of Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center on state statutes and local ordinances that limit the establishment of community residences. The author ultimately proposes a model statute that prohibits strategies used to bar community residences