90 residents at Oneco recovery center face local pushback

A conflict over a 90-bed drug recovery facility in Oneco has intensified after a client was charged with attempting to break into a nearby home. Margi Nanney, a resident for 40 years, led a push for The Crossings to close, citing safety concerns that she says stem from the facility’s location and lack of strict regulation. The tension highlights a recurring struggle in the Suncoast region: communities need social services for vulnerable populations, but residents often resist placing those services in their backyards.

The Crossings, founded by Jim Rouches, has operated for just over two years on 24th Street East. The facility houses up to 90 clients in dorms and small apartments. In 2025, Manatee County commissioners granted a special use permit to allow the residential treatment facility to operate in an area where such sites are typically restricted to roads with higher traffic capacity. Amanda Ballard, the commissioner representing the district, cast the only dissenting vote against the approval.

The dispute escalated in June when Jacob Sulzman, a former client of The Crossings, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and prowling after trying to enter a house down the street. According to a criminal complaint, Sulzman was on the porch attempting to open the front door while a woman and her grandchildren hid inside. Arrest records listed The Crossings as his address, though facility leadership stated he had been discharged 10 days prior. Sulzman, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder in Pinellas County in 2022, has a history of violent crime.

In response to the incident, The Crossings replaced its entire board of directors and most of its staff. Chad Dubin, the new CEO, acknowledged that previous leadership failed to conduct adequate background checks and manage client discharges properly. Dubin said the new administration is updating procedures to protect both the facility's internal community and its neighbors.

Neighbors argue that The Crossings should be classified as a large recovery home rather than a residential treatment facility, a distinction that could alter zoning requirements. Nanney and other residents have filed complaints with statewide regulatory bodies and hosted a protest in September. They contend that the facility’s location in a historic district, where Nanney’s 120-year-old home received a landmark designation, was an oversight by county leaders.

Similar friction is occurring in Sarasota County, where Remnant Church faces opposition from the Ashton Enclave Condo Association. The church provides meals, showers, and laundry to homeless individuals four days a week. In August, county officials issued a notice of violation after neighbor Christine Nordstrom reported safety issues, including people sleeping under raised porches and trash left in yards. Nordstrom stated that the operation has had a detrimental impact on the neighborhood despite her support for the church's mission.

Taylor Neighbors, CEO of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness, noted that finding landlords willing to host social service organizations has become increasingly difficult. She said that even administrative offices struggle to secure leases due to public perception. Neighbors and officials in both counties are now debating how to balance the need for housing and recovery services with the desire for residential stability and public safety.

The Crossings leadership is currently working to obtain licensing for a clinical treatment facility on its campus. Until then, case managers coordinate with outside providers to ensure clients follow comprehensive recovery plans that often include employment. Dubin said the organization is reviewing every decision through the lens of community impact as it seeks to stabilize operations.