Group home proposed at former New Bedford funeral home on County St.
A former County Street funeral home is being eyed for use as a group home by a company that specializes in “sober” houses.
- NewLife LLC wants to convert the former Wilson Funeral Chapel into a group home for people recovering from addiction.
- The structure was built in 1843 and is one of New Bedford’s oldest funeral homes.
- NewLife needs approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals for its project.
NEW BEDFORD — A former County Street funeral home is being eyed for use as a group home by a company that specializes in developing “sober” houses for people recovering from addiction.
NewLife LLC wants to convert the former Wilson Funeral Chapel at 479 County St. into a group home, but was denied a building permit by city building inspectors in May.
They ruled that NewLife, headquartered at 20 Prouty Road in Burlington, needed a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals to make the change. The company is appealing that decision to the ZBA at its Aug. 22 meeting.
The appeal states that the change doesn’t require city approval because state law “precludes municipalities from imposing zoning requirements upon congregate living arrangements among non-related persons with disabilities that are not imposed upon families of the same size.”
The appeal adds, “Further, under the [Fair Housing Act] and [Americans with Disabilities Act] the city should provide a reasonable accommodation to NewLife LLC to develop the property for congregate living arrangements among non-related persons with disabilities, given the zoning does not have a use group for this type of housing anywhere within the city.”
While city zoning regulations require a special permit for group homes, state law exempts group homes that are providing education, including life skills.
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Sober house would be in one of New Bedford’s oldest funeral homes
NewLife bought the three-story, 8,730-square-foot building for $515,000 on March 29, according to assessor records.
Built in 1843, the former funeral home was one of the city’s oldest, and had been located at the County Street site for decades.
The business was acquired by the city’s Aubertine-Lopes Funeral Home in 2023.
Company says projects offer ‘a sense of fulfillment’
NewLife’s company manager, according to the application with the city, is Peter Fondini. He is also listed as the company agent with the state.
NewLife’s website states, “Come expand your sober living business. We make opening your next facility a breeze!”
It states the company’s founders have owned and operated residential real estate for over 30 years. It cites three recent sober house development projects, including a 32-bed residential recovery home for women in Athol and a 16-bed men’s sober house in Ashtabula, Ohio. “Having had two children go through the struggles of addiction, this mission offers them a sense of fulfillment.”
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NewLife does not operate the group homes; it develops the projects and leases them back to organizations that provide the recovery services.
The website also states, “Is the price of real estate holding you back from expanding your bed count? Don’t let it! We understand your mission. Whether you need a single-family home or a 15,000-square-foot facility, we have the capital, real estate expertise, and experience in the recovery field to help make your next move a reality! It’s what we love to do.”
The company’s ZBA appeal application doesn’t state how many people would live in the group home.
Fondini did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Zoning Board has denied similar appeal
The ZBA denied a similar appeal in December for a seven-person group home at 110 Hawthorn St. That proposed project was for people with mental health issues who would receive help transitioning into the community.
The ZBA ruled that the group home wasn’t allowed by right, regardless of the state law also cited by NewLife, and said that petitioner Jeff White would have to come back before the board and seek a special permit.
White has not filed for a special permit as of yet, according to the city Planning Department.
Attorney Brian Cruise, who represented White, said during the ZBA hearing that case law was “unequivocal” in allowing the exemption for group homes providing life-skills education.
He told the board, “I urge you not to force us to go through the appeals process, and have the courts say what they have already said.”
