Communal Living Protection

Communal Living Facility (CLF) Definition

Often referred to as a ‘boarding home’, ‘adult foster home’ or ‘adult group home’. They are defined by the Jefferson County Health Department as any public or privately operated facility which houses four (4) or more adult residents.

For the purpose of this definition, a resident is defined as:
A person who is not related by blood or marriage to the owner/operator or staff of any communal living facility and lives in, sleeps in, or occupies a rooming unit. Assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hotels, motels, apartments, dormitories, fraternity homes and sorority homes associated with colleges and/or universities, and foster or group homes under the governance of another agency are excluded from these regulations. The health department does not issue permits for foster homes or group homes housing youth or minor children.

Permitted communal living facilities in Jefferson County are categorized as rooming homes, which provide living/sleeping quarters only; or boarding homes, which provide meals in addition to rooms.