Oxford House Inc.’s bid to house up to 11 unrelated individuals at 21 Dawn Avenue was denied Tuesday after Excelsior Springs City Council members unanimously agreed the application did not meet federal disability housing standards.The decision followed weeks of public testimony and review under the city’s reasonable accommodation process, which was adopted in 2024 to evaluate housing requests involving protected populations under the federal Fair Housing Act. Unlike a standard zoning or variance request, the process allows the city to weigh whether local rules should be adjusted to provide equal housing opportunities for people with disabilities.The case began earlier this year when the two-story home was purchased in April, chartered as an Oxford House and underwent about $94,000 in renovations with city permits and inspections. Oxford House is a nationwide nonprofit operating democratically run, self-supporting sober living homes for people recovering from substa...