Understanding the Oxford House Model for Sober Living: A Comprehensive Guide

Applicants are interviewed and must receive a majority approval from current members before being accepted. Unlike traditional sober living homes that may have on-site management or clinical staff, Oxford Houses are entirely managed by the residents themselves. Each house typically has between six and twelve members who vote on matters such as admissions, finances, and household rules. Leadership roles, such as president, treasurer, drug addiction and secretary, rotate among members, ensuring everyone participates in maintaining order and accountability. Instead of relying on professional staff, Oxford Houses are peer-run recovery residences. Residents elect officers, manage the finances, enforce house rules, and support each other in staying drug- and alcohol-free.

Q. Don’t zoning laws limit where a group of unrelated individuals can rent a house?

• The Oxford House model is an innovative approach to sober living, offering a supportive environment for individuals recovering from addiction.
• That was an important change because recovering individuals take different lengths of time to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse.
• «Or texting.» I reached for the front door handle to go ask if he needed help.

The Chapter is also the place where individuals expand their network of sober friends as Chapters host all kinds of social events that bring their community together. Yes, there are Oxford Houses in Canada, Australia and Ghana with active interest in England, Bulgaria https://brazda.biz/nehty/index.php/2024/05/03/empowering-positive-change-for-addiction-recovery/ and other countries. Alcoholism and drug addiction are international problems and Oxford Houses can provide recovering individuals the opportunity to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse. In its simplest form, an Oxford House is a shared residence where people in recovery from substance use disorder can live together and support each other in a drug and alcohol-free environment.

Q. What is an Oxford House Charter?

Call the contact person for each house you’re interested in to set up an interview. Use our Vacancy Locator to find houses near you that have an opening. Oxford House, Inc. issues charters to newly formed Oxford Houses.

Learn about Oxford House

Oxford House training shows what’s possible when people in recovery are trusted—and equipped—to run their own homes. The manuals, officer roles, and training events create a structure where peer support, accountability, and leadership can thrive. The right approach depends on your residents, local regulations, and your program’s mission. Oxford House training simply offers one of the most developed peer-run playbooks to learn from. There are over 3500 self-sustaining Oxford Houses in the United States and more than 24,000 individuals in recovery living in these houses at any one time during the year.

Great! Let’s look at the broader Oxford House network.

• Each resident contributes to the household expenses, including rent and utilities.
• Every Oxford House member attributes his sobriety to Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous.
• Any violation of this rule results in immediate expulsion from the house.
• Third, an Oxford House must, in essence be a good member of the community by obeying the laws and paying its bills.
• When we stopped drinking or using drugs, we began to realize just how dependent we had become.

Some houses collect EES from its members on a monthly basis while many houses choose to collect EES on a weekly basis. This monthly or weekly amount varies from state to state and house to house and can range anywhere from $125 a week to $250 a week. When you call a house to set up an interview you can ask them how much their EES is. The Oxford House Model is shared, studied, and growing because it works. It continues to stand the test of time as a leading model in sober living.

Each Oxford House follows three simple rules.

Alternatively, if they would like to send their application to all houses near them that have an opening, they can Apply Online. Each has a term limit of 6 oxford house sober living months to further support a well functioning democratic environment. There are six house officers in each Oxford House, elected by the members to support the operations of the house.