NORWOOD, Ohio -- Nearly half of the more than 1,000 registered sexual offenders in Hamilton County are committing a crime by living within 1,000 feet of a school, Target 5's Sheree Paolello reported.

Now they're being ordered to move.

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Carl Poff is one of them. Poff lives within 1,000 feet of three schools, and right around the corner from a playground, but he says he's living with family so he won't offend again.

"I'm mentally unstable. I don't trust myself," Poff said, standing on the porch of his family's home. "This is my family. I'm disabled. They take care of me."

In 2002 Poff pleaded guilty to sexually abusing three girls, and that wasn't the first time. Thirty years earlier, he was convicted of child molestation.

"I can't help it. I'm sick," Poff said.

Poff claims he is less of a risk living with family who watch over him.

"I've been two years no re-offending," he said. "You want me to re-offend, put me back on the street."

Target 5 discovered that Poff lives too close to Allison Elementary, Norwood Christian and Norwood High School, and when his neighbors found out, they weren't sympathetic.

"I think people should be informed of that. There's a lot of kids on that street," Jackie Elliott said.

"My children walk right past here to go to school, so we want him out," said Chris Stillwell.

Local law directors are mailing notices to sex offenders living too close to schools, informing them they must move out within 30 to 60 days.

If they don't, they could face criminal charges.