SOBER LIVING NETWORK LEADERSHIP TRAINING

January 2007

SOBER LIVING HOUSING

Sober living homes provide safe and sober congregate (shared) housing for recovering alcoholics, addicts and
family members. Homes support recovery in a structured, clean and sober environment. Sober homes do not
provide formal recovery or treatment services.

DEFINITION A Sober Living house is; 1) A sober living house is a dwelling occupied on an indefinite
basis by a group of unrelated persons with addiction and co-disordered disabilities in a family-like environment
and which may be self-managed or managed by the house owner or operator; (2) provide recovering persons
person a place to live free from alcohol and drug use, (3) residents themselves reinforce their recovery through
support of other recovering persons, and (3) residents are encouraged to voluntarily pursue activities to support
their recovery, either alone or with others.
Houses do not provide or require participation in any treatment or recovery maintenance activities, do not
require and do not receive public funds for individual residents, and do not maintain case management files as a
condition of residency. However, residents may form or participate in peer-led self-help groups and activities
that are initiated and maintained by the residents acting as a family unit. Sober living homes are also known as
alcohol/drug free-living centers (ADFLC), cooperative living, re-entry homes, three-quarter way houses, etc.

HISTORY

Sober living homes have a rich history. Members of Alcoholics Anonymous developed and
operated Twelve Step Houses during the late 40s, 50s & 60s. Oxford houses started in 1974 when a group of
residents adopted a closing Maryland State-operated halfway house. The Oxford houses expanded to 24 homes
(18 male & 6 female) by 1986. Both the 12 Step and Oxford Houses demonstrated that recovering persons can
be self-supporting and self manage their own housing. Oxford resident councils pay the rent, utilities, handle
repairs and keep their houses safe and sober.

FAIR HOUSING The 1988 Fair Housing Amendments give disabled persons (alcoholics and
recovering addicts) the right to live together as a family of unrelated persons in any dwelling that would
accommodate an equal number of related family members. Sober living homes can counter a local government
request for special use zoning compliance or conditional use permits as long as the home operates as shared
housing for persons with disabilities. Similar fair-housing rights exist for senior citizens, as well as for mentally,
physically and developmentally disabled persons.
Sober living homes are required to meet all local zoning, building and safety, conditional use, occupancy
standards and fire regulations that would apply to housing for related families.

STATE LICENSING --

State licensing laws require that those residential facilities providing alcohol
and/or drug treatment and/or recovery services in a residential facility obtain a facility license. Sober living
houses that do not provide or require recovery and/or treatment services as a condition of residency are not
eligible for a State Alcohol and Drug Program facility license. A home may host recovery activities that are
resident initiated and managed. Sober living residents have the same rights as related families who can develop
and conduct recovery activities for their family members. This is further discussed in the recovery activity
section.