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Dayton residents express concern over location of proposed Suboxone clinic

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DAYTON — People in a particular Dayton neighborhood are expressing concerns over the location of a proposed Suboxone clinic.

The proposed Suboxone clinic would be on Livingston Avenue where the Livingston Care Center used to be.

News Center 7′s Mike Campbell sat down with a woman involved in the fight to keep the clinic out of the neighborhood.

“I’m concerned for the users of the clinic as much as I am for the people who live here and yes there are far better places to put it,” said Wendy Parker, who lives in the neighborhood.

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The proposed Suboxone clinic is less than a stones throw from Parker and only 50 feet across the street.

The former Livingston Care Center, a nursing home that closed around a decade ago, is under new ownership and the owners filed an application for a medical facility.

“There’s a big difference between a regular medical facility and a walk-up Suboxone clinic,” Parker said.

Suboxone is a medicine that blocks the nerve receptors of people addicted to heroin and other drugs, hopefully helping them fight their addictions.

“I know everyone needs help, my issue is the proximity of this location to a playground, a middle school and our front doors,” Parker said.

News Center 7 requested city applications and reached out to the facility’s owner but we were told he was unavailable.

We reached out to city zoning and planning department leaders who said “from a zoning standpoint, the prospective land use at 20 Livingston is a permitted use–it is allowed to go there.”

“We believe that simply calling it a suboxone clinic is a mischaracterization. The applicant plans a comprehensive recovery facility, including counseling, job training and placement, and offices for doctors and nurses,” the city said.

Residents believe there are better places in business parks or commercial spaces that would be a better location, and they’re tired of being told they’re only concerned about having it in their backyard or with their property values.

“Of course I’m concerned about my property value, everyone is concerned about their property value, that’s a silly thing to say,” Parker said.

The city said the proposed use for the former nursing home facility is allowed, the meeting with community residents is going on right now.

News Center 7 will continue reaching out to the owner and update this story when plans and renovations are complete and the facility is ready to open.











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