A private equity backed rehab company called Newport Academy/Institute purchased a row of three adjacent residential homes in Leesburg (Loudoun County) to use as a rehab treatment facility campus. Operating a congregate living facility out of residential homes would be a zoning violation. Residents are appealing to the Loudoun Zoning Board at a public hearing on Thursday January 26, 2023 at 6pm. Please join us at the boardroom at 1 Harrison Street in Leesburg. 

Loudoun is not the first county in Virginia to be affected. In 2019, this same company attempted to operate out of three adjacent homes in McLean, on Davidson Road, but were stopped by Fairfax County Zoning. 

Protect Loudoun supporters strongly object to allowing a 25 acre psychiatric treatment campus for adults in the middle of an AR-1 zone where congregate facilities are not permitted under any condition, solely based on paperwork that states they will operate separately as their executives detail a unified operation. Newport's COO has candidly stated  that the homes would share a chef, nurse, and other resources. A blatant intention to misuse residential homes is egregious and must be stopped. 

The impact to the community would be devastating if this campus is permitted, threatening a long-standing non-profit for the disabled, A Farm Less Ordinary (AFLO). For years, AFLO has operated peacefully from farmland abutting the 25 acres Newport purchased. AFLO provides employment and community to Loudoun residents with intellectual or developmental disabilities, a group whose unemployment rate is over 80%. The location was carefully chosen for the stability it provided for their growers and staff. That environment would be fundamentally altered next with the addition of a sprawling congregate treatment campus and bring added risks AFLO can’t take. 

Most troubling, this would set a precedent in Loudoun for AR-1 zones and open the door to more residential homes being bought for commercial activity by companies that easily outbid families. Onex Partners invested $1.3B to own a 60% stake in Newport in 2021, their investors demand profits as loudly as we demand that they abide by local laws. 

We implore Loudoun County Zoning and our Virginia Delegates to protect and maintain the purpose and integrity of residential neighborhood zones. We insist that they stand up to private equity companies who want to repurpose residential homes. Newport repeatedly claims that it wants to be a "good neighbor" and an asset to this community - we hope they demonstrate those intentions by following residential zoning parameters and turn their focus to an appropriately zoned commercial area for their adult treatment facility. 

To be clear, an objection to private equity again attempting to misuse homes is NOT an objection to mental or behavioral healthcare. These facilities charge $2,000+/day per client, grossing approximately $10-17M per year - they have the resources to operate in a commercial zone, pay commercial taxes, and respect Loudoun residents.  

Please take a moment to sign this petition, our representatives must see our opinion on this for them to take action and keep this zoning issue from spreading throughout Loudoun as it has in Fairfax. 

Get contact info for Loudoun Zoning and VA Representatives, donate to our legal fund, and read news articles from communities where facilities are currently operating at ProtectLoudoun.com. 

**PLEASE NOTE: Our legal fund does NOT receive any money you donate via this site, that all goes to Change.org. To donate to ProtectLoudoun legal fees, go to the "Stop Newport on Gleedsville Road" GoFundMe, or to write a check, use the Contact Us form on the ProtectLoudoun.com webpage**