Oxford Houses are family homes that groups of recovering individuals rent to live together in an environment supportive of recovery from addiction. Each house is self-run and self-supported following a standardized system of democratic operation. Each group obtains a charter from Oxford House, Inc., the umbrella organization for the national network of individual Oxford Houses. In fact, Oxford House creates an environment whereby each member can more fully realize the benefits available from active AA or NA membership.

Oxford Houses work because they are:

Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the members Sober living home who elect officers to serve for terms of six months. House officers have term limits to avoid bossism or corruption of egalitarian democracy. Every member has an equal vote regardless of how long they’ve been there. The average stay is about a year, but many members stay three, four, or more years.

• Oxford House, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs both office and field staff.
• The World Council is made up of both alumni and residents of Oxford Houses who are elected by their peers.
• And thrive in such diverse communities as Hawaii, Washington State, Canada and Australia; but they all abide by the basic criteria.
• 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.
• Yes, because alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness are handicapping conditions.
• This is understandable since as many as 80% of the current jail/prison population are alcoholics and drug addicts.

What are some alternatives to Oxford Houses for sober living, and how do they compare?

Yes, there are Oxford Houses in Canada, Australia and Ghana with active interest in England, Bulgaria 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. It is no more difficult than for an ordinary family to find a house to rent.

• It continues to stand the test of time as a leading model in sober living.
• Any recovering alcoholic or drug addict can apply to get into any Oxford House by filling out an application and being interviewed by the existing members of the House.
• Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the residents who elect officers to serve for terms of six months.

Individual Growth

While no one is ever asked to leave an Oxford House without cause, some individuals will simply outgrow living in an Oxford House. They will return to their families; they may start new families; they may simply move into another living situation. The situation should be avoided whereby certain individuals will begin to equate their persuasive qualities with the Oxford House concept.

Each Oxford House follows three simple rules.

Individuals living in an Oxford House learn or relearn values, responsible behavior and slowly, but surely, develop long-term behavior to assure comfortable sobriety forever. Some individuals live in Oxford Houses a few months, others, for many years. Together, these oxford houses individuals develop each Oxford House into a place to learn to live a responsible life without the use of alcohol and drugs.

• Interviews are usually held in person, but can also be done over the phone.
• The number of residents in a house may range from six to fifteen; there are houses for men, houses for women, and houses which accept women with children.
• All too often, an abrupt transition from a protected environment to an environment which places considerable glamour on the use of alcohol and drugs causes a return to alcoholic drinking or addictive drug use.
• For a couple of months in 1975, he found himself living on the streets and begging strangers for money before he entered a rehabilitation program.
• When we stopped drinking or using drugs, we began to realize just how dependent we had become.
• Equal Expense Shared (EES) is generally between 80 and 160 dollars a week and includes utilities.

Initially, the structure and supervision of such facilities were acceptable because physically and mentally, we were exhausted. Later, some of us were to move into half-way houses which provided shelter, food, and supervision. As our recovery progressed, the supervision and dependency on a half-way house created dissatisfaction. The dissatisfaction was in part the realization that we were shirking responsibility for our own lives and in part a resentment of authority. The third factor affecting us both in the rehabilitation facilities and the half-way houses was the realization that the duration of our stay must be limited because space must be made for others in need of help.

What are the pros and cons of choosing an Oxford House for sober living?

Within an Oxford House group, it is not unusual to find some members who have problems which cannot be dealt with by the group. In those situations, it is not uncommon for the Oxford House members, at a meeting, to strongly suggest that a fellow member seek professional help. In those situations where a member’s behavior is disruptive to the group as a whole, the member may be required to seek such professional help or more self-help meetings in order to avoid being dismissed from Oxford House. It is inconsistent with the Oxford House system of democratic rule to have a professional manager of Oxford House.

Who Starts and Manages Oxford Houses?

Such meetings should be used to resolve any operational or personality problems facing the house. They called their experiment in group living and joint sobriety Oxford House. It was the first step in a nationwide movement, now almost 50 years old, that has been credited with helping thousands of people overcome addiction and lead productive lives.

The Oxford House Model is‍time-tested and evidence-based.

If a house votes to accept you, you can tell them whether or not you accept the invitation to move in. Alternatively, if you’d like to send your application to all houses near you that have an opening, you can Apply Online. Oxford House, Inc. provides technical assistance to foster the expansion of the Oxford House Model. Fortunately, the 1988 Amendments to the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibit discrimination against handicapped individuals.