'Social host' rule designed to curb teen drinking

HAYWARD -- They may or may not make it in time to tame the coming spring's glut of high school graduation parties, but Hayward leaders are jumping on the bandwagon of Bay Area cities that are cracking down on parents who let kids drink at home.

Hayward City Councilman Kevin Dowling said he is introducing a "social host" ordinance that fines homeowners caught hosting underage drinking at their residence.

"It just gives police another tool to say if you do that, you will be fined," Dowling said. "Sometimes the parents just leave and aren't really paying attention."

City officials are looking at enacting an ordinance that carries a roughly $500 penalty, butthe fine would go up for repeat offenders.

Laws are clear on prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors, but can be more difficult to enforce when teenagers are drinking alcohol at their home or someone else's, Dowling said.

"Kids shouldn't be drinking," Dowling said. "It leads to drinking and driving. It leads to neighborhood problems."

The Hayward City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance in early May, and Dowling said he doesn't expect much disagreement.

Alameda County has already enacted a similar law for its unincorporated areas, where Dowling works as a part-time aide to Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker.

Cities including Berkeley and Union City have also placed "social host" regulations on the books.

And in another effort designed to reduce alcohol abuse in Hayward, the City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday night to prohibit the sale of alcohol at the new Mount Eden Business park in west Hayward, where developers want to build a 7-Eleven convenience store.

Matt O'Brien can be reached at 510-293-2473 or mattobrien@bayareanewsgroup.com.

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