© 2026. The Trustees of Indiana University
Copyright Complaints
1229 East Seventh Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
News, Arts and Culture from WFIU Public Radio and WTIU Public Television
Give Now
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

News

Federal judge rules state discriminated against recovery homes

89.1 WBOI | By Rebecca Green
Published March 13, 2026 at 1:44 PM EDT
A federal judge ruled Indiana officials discriminated against a four recovery homes, three of which are located in Northeast Indiana, by treating them differently from ordinary homes.
A federal judge ruled Indiana officials discriminated against a four recovery homes, three of which are located in Northeast Indiana, by treating them differently from ordinary homes.

A federal judge ruled against the State of Indiana in how it has attempted to regulate residential recovery homes via the state building code.

The residential recovery homes included Place of Grace and Harmony Home of Huntington, and Inspiration Ministries in DeKalb County. Next Step Recovery Home in Dubois County was also a part of the suit, according to the ACLU which brought the lawsuits.

The recovery homes allow those working toward sobriety to live together in a family-style setting for support.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ruled that Indiana cannot treat residential recovery homes as anything other than homes.

The state had imposed additional regulations on the homes, such as sprinkler systems. But Pratt says those additional regulations discriminate against those with disabilities.

She ordered the state to permanently treat the homes as normal residential structures, without requirements such as sprinkler systems.

An email seeking comment from both the Indiana Attorney General and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security has not been yet returned.

Copyright 2026 WBOI
Tags
News Featured
Rebecca Green
Rebecca manages the news at WBOI. She joined the staff in December 2017, and brought with her nearly two decades of experience in print journalism, including 15 years as an award-winning reporter the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne.
Related Content

WFIU/WTIU News is an independent newsroom rooted in public service.

“Act Independently” is one of the basic creeds of journalism ethics, and we claim it proudly. The WFIU/WTIU News facilities are located on the campus of Indiana University, which does hold our broadcast license and contribute funding to our organization. However, our journalists and senior news leaders have full authority over journalistic decisions — what we decide to cover and how we tell our stories. We observe a clear boundary: Indiana University and RTVS administrators focus on running a strong and secure organization; WFIU/WTIU journalists focus on bringing you independent news you can trust.