Sober-living home operator pleads not guilty to breaking Costa Mesa law

Costa Mesa is pursuing a criminal charge against a sober-living home operator accused of violating city law by hosting too many recovering addicts at one house.

Carrie Heckel, founder and chief executive of Serenity Shores Recovery Center, pleaded not guilty Monday in Orange County Superior Court to one misdemeanor count.

In November, city inspectors served a search warrant and said they found 18 beds at the two-story, six-bedroom house that Serenity Shores operated on Senate Street. Costa Mesa’s municipal code limits sober-living homes in residential neighborhoods to seven tenants.

Outside court Monday, Heckel called the case a misunderstanding, saying the extra beds were temporary.

In an announcement about the search warrant, city officials said they had received complaints about the Serenity Shores home, including “loud arguments, profanity, trash, excessive traffic and cigarette smoke, advertised Alcoholic Anonymous meetings and loitering.”

After a scheduled inspection in October found seven beds in the home, city officials said they received a photo of two trucks moving in more beds hours later.

On Monday, Heckel first said she planned to resolve the case that day but later pleaded not guilty and said she would speak to a lawyer about her options.

Heckel said she has closed the house on Senate Street.

“I don’t want to fight with anybody,” she said.