600 Middletown Avenue LLC A CLEAN AND SOBER RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY
	Bobby Hargrove is a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict who turned his life around after 27 years of active addiction and numerous attempts at recovery. After his final treatment program, he relocated to the Connecticut shoreline and moved into a sober house in 1996. After being a resident for a year, Bobby assumed the role of resident manager for the next two years, building a strong foundation for his recovery. In April of 1999, the Hargrove`s opened the doors of 600 Middletown Avenue. That same year town officials in North Haven served the owners of Middletown Avenue with a cease-and-desist order for being out of compliance with the town's zoning ordinance, since there were 14 persons in recovery living in the house. At this time in the state of Connecticut and across the country, people living in residential recovery housing were told they were in violation of local zoning ordinances, which prohibit more than a few unrelated people from living together in areas zoned for single family housing. 600 Middletown Avenue and its residence brought suit against the town of North Haven to uphold their rights as people in recovery who are protected under Federal laws from discrimination (Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Fair Housing Statutes), and are entitled to ''reasonable accommodation'' of their disability under these Federal guidelines. After a Federal court ruling was handed down overturning the Connecticut appellate court case decision, the town of North Haven held a public meeting to discuss the Hargrove`s variance application. In February of 2001 the town of North Haven granted the application for variance and the house was allowed to remain open. The court proceedings at the municipal, state and federal levels lasted for over 18 months from when 600 Middletown Avenue originally opened. We share this story to illustrate the initial struggles and financial hardships that recovery communities across the country have faced to defend what is right. Without these landmark cases and the perseverance of the individuals involved, a great number of alcoholics and addicts may not have had the opportunity to find a new freedom from addiction.