Jasper recovery home prevails in federal discrimination case
Next Step Recovery Home among four Indiana nonprofits vindicated by federal court ruling
A federal judge has ruled that the State of Indiana unlawfully discriminated against recovery homes — including a Jasper-based nonprofit serving men in addiction recovery — by subjecting them to costly building requirements not imposed on ordinary family homes.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt issued the ruling last week in favor of Next Step Recovery Home in Dubois County and three other Indiana nonprofits, finding the state violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Rehabilitation Act.
The cases involved Place of Grace and Harmony Home of Huntington, both in Huntington County; Inspiration Ministries in DeKalb County; and Next Step Recovery Home in Dubois County. Each operates homes for people recovering from substance abuse disorders, where residents live together in a family-style setting, receive treatment, and work together to achieve and maintain sobriety.
Next Step Recovery Home operates out of a 2,000-square-foot house on Brosmer Street in Jasper — a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a finished basement that was previously owned and occupied by a typical family. Five men currently live there, working through the second stage of a recovery program in partnership with Behind the Wire Ministries.
Despite the home’s ordinary appearance and use, Indiana’s Department of Homeland Security had classified it as a Class 1 commercial structure — the same category as office buildings and apartment complexes — simply because of who lived there. That classification triggered expensive construction and design requirements, including mandatory sprinkler systems, that are not required of standard residential homes.
Judge Pratt found that Indiana treated recovery homes differently from comparable nuclear family homes and foster homes without legal justification. The residents of Next Step, the court noted, live much like any family — sharing space, meals, and daily routines — and have no exclusive claim to any individual portion of the home.
The court granted a permanent injunction ordering the state to classify the recovery homes as standard Class 2 residential structures going forward. It also found that the homes already exceed fire safety standards through voluntary measures like fire extinguishers, regular fire drills, and no-smoking policies indoors.
“The public’s interest in eliminating discriminatory housing practices outweighs its interest in imposing stricter building requirements on the Home,” Judge Pratt wrote.
Following the ruling last week, Next Step Recovery Home posted a statement on Facebook expressing gratitude for the outcome on Saturday.
“Our mission has always been simple,” the organization wrote. “To provide safe, supportive housing for men working to rebuild their lives in recovery.”
The statement added that Next Step remains committed to working with community partners, neighbors, and local leaders to ensure Dubois County remains a place where recovery and second chances are possible.
The ACLU of Indiana, which represented the recovery homes, celebrated the decision. “Discrimination against people with disabilities has no place in our communities,” said Ken Falk, Legal Director of the ACLU of Indiana.
The ruling follows a similar 2019 case in which the same court found Indiana had applied discriminatory building classifications to group homes for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Despite that earlier ruling, the court found the state had continued using its classification system as what Judge Pratt called “a proxy for discrimination.”
Next Step Recovery Home partners with Behind the Wire Ministries to provide recovery housing and programming. Those interested in learning more can reach the organization at nextsteprecoveryinc@gmail.com.
The full ACLU of Indiana press release is available at aclu-in.org.
Matthew Crane, co-owner/publisher of the Dubois County Free Press, serves on the board of Next Step Recovery Home.
