Circumventing the Law - Newport Beach style...

There is no doubt to anyone who reads this blog that I'm a...slow...adult.

But I'm a highly functioning...slow...adult.

So please explain this to me.

Newport Beach passes a Tough-on-Group-Home Ordinance.

Then Newport Beach starts to deal with each one of the Group Homes so they don't have to really follow the ordinance?

Or does Newport Beach deal with the Group Homes so they don't have to follow all of the ordinance? Just certain parts?

Following that example, any group/business/individual, if confronted with a City Ordinance they don't like, can individually (or collectively) negotiate with the City so they don't have to completely comply with it?

Why bother passing laws, THEN BRAG ABOUT HOW TOUGH THESE LAWS ARE, if they are just going to negotiate their way out of them for fear of legal challenges?

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of passing a tough law?

So let me recap...because I need to repeat things in order to understand them.

• Group Homes institutionalize parts of Newport Beach.
• Residents Complain about Group Homes(duh...)
• City passes Ordinance to appease angry residents regarding Group Homes.
  
• City, without Public notice/input, negotiates with Group Homes, to circumvent the Ordinance.
  

Am I soo far off base to opine that the Group Home Ordinance was only for show? Since they technically won't be enforcing it?