Recovery home shut down after operating illegally in Henrico neighborhood

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A recovery residence was being operated illegally at a home in Tuckahoe and has since closed, according to a Henrico County spokesperson.

Sobright Living LLC purchased a home on Turnball Avenue in Henrico County on May 15, according to property records. For a period since then, the company operated an illegal recovery home there, according to Michael Feinmel, deputy county manager. It has since been shut down.

A Virginia law that went into effect on July 1 requires all recovery homes in the state to be certified by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS). Violating the law is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

A department spokesperson confirmed that neither Sobright Living nor its recovery home on Turnball Avenue were ever credentialed or certified by the DBHDS.

Following an investigation, on Oct. 3, DBHDS notified Sobright Living that the department was denying its application for a conditional certification.

In addition, the area in which the recovery home was being operated is a residential zoning area, meaning the business was also operating illegally in that regard.

Between July 1 and Sept. 30, Henrico Emergency dispatchers reportedly received 10 medical and police calls for service at the recovery home.

In addition to the calls for service, Feinmel said Henrico County received a petition to close the recovery home from neighbors of the Hill & Dale community due to disruptions and safety concerns.

Virginia State Corporation Commission records show that Sobright Living's principal place of business is a building in New York, with the same address listed on records for another business with a similar name -- Sobright Recovery and Rehabilitation LLC.

Sobright Recovery and Rehabilitation was granted a license by DBHDS to operate a partial hospitalization service for substance abuse treatment at 776 Shrader Road, Suite A, which is for treatment, but not residential care.

8News called the phone number listed on the website of Sobright Recovery, where the same Shrader Road address is listed as the facility's location, but was hung up on.

After calling a second time, 8News was transferred to the phone of the executive director to leave a voicemail.

8News has also emailed the business seeking a comment or statement. This story will be updated when new information becomes available.