During the early 1990s dozens of communities sought to close Oxford Houses located in good neighborhoods because local zoning ordinances restricted the number of unrelated individuals that could live together in a single-family home. In 1987, the late Bill Spillane, Ph. D., who had retired from NIDA and was teaching at Catholic University School of Social Work in Washington, D.C. Followed up on each house application and tracked down the individuals who had moved out. In 1975, Montgomery County, Maryland decided to close a traditional halfway house because of a lack of funds. However, the men living in that halfway house, including Oxford House’s founder Paul Molloy, were not ready to leave. For example, the landlord and phone company may require a security deposit and, while furnishings are generally donated, members will often have to rent a truck in order to pick them up.
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. An Oxford House Chapter is an additional level of support for individual Oxford Houses. Chapters are important links in making the democratic system of organization underlying Oxford House™ work.
Financially, residents contribute to the household by paying a weekly rent—typically around $132—which covers utilities and shared food expenses, making it a cost-effective alternative to traditional treatment options. An Oxford House is a unique recovery home designed for individuals recovering from alcohol and drug addiction, focusing on self-governance and mutual support among residents. Each house operates democratically, where residents share responsibilities, pay household expenses, and collectively make decisions, fostering a sense of community and accountability. Paul Molloy’s vision was to establish self-supporting, self-governed homes for recovering alcoholics and addicts across America. The article highlights the success of these houses, where recovering individuals work together, abide by simple rules, and maintain a drug-free environment. The expansion of Oxford House, despite initial skepticism, led to Congress passing a law to support the model nationally, with state funds allocated for similar initiatives.
Depaul University has a team of researchers that have been studying the Oxford House model for more than a decade. We work with those leaving rehab, healthcare professionals, legal professionals, veterans and parents of addicts. Use this form to send us comments, questions or suggestions, or to request information for subscriptions or sponsors. SHARE is built by and for New Mexicans, and we rely on you to provide input and content for these pages. The reason that each Oxford House is independent arises from the very practical consideration that those who are closest to a situation are best able to manage it. If an Oxford House follows the democratic principles and traditions of Oxford House, Inc., it should have no difficulty in running smoothly.
It continues to stand the test of time as a leading model in sober living. Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the members 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.
Starting new Houses through the mutual assistance of existing Oxford Houses is a tradition because each House was started with the help of existing Houses and tends to pass on to others that which they received. Once more applications are received than there are beds available, the members of any Oxford House will begin to look around for another suitable house. When they find such a house they will bring it up with the other existing Houses and if there is a consensus they will attempt to find the start up money and members to fill the new house. Often several members of an existing House will move into the new House to provide a core group of new members who already know how an Oxford House works. An underlying principle of Oxford House is that each individual member has the ability to be responsible for himself. Living within an Oxford House provides both the opportunity and motivation for all residents to regularly attend AA and/or NA meetings.
Instead of being left to their own fates, Mr. Molloy and other residents decided to take over the house themselves, paying the expenses and utilities, cooking the meals and keeping watch over one another’s path to recovery. I just had to follow the rules, get along with everyone, and work on my recovery. It took me awhile to get used to being with a group oxford house of guys like myself. But together we have learned to manage and maintain the house and interact as a family.
You can stay as long as you like, provided you don’t use drugs and alcohol, are not disruptive, and pay your share of house expenses. Recovery residences/sober living programs are certified by the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) state affiliate, Oklahoma Alliance for Recovery Residences (OKARR). ODMHSAS funds, both directly and through collaborative grant efforts, three recovery housing programs. Additionally, having 8 to 15 members helps maintain a balance in house responsibilities, ensuring that tasks such as financial management and house chores are distributed fairly among residents.
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. He moved to a county-run halfway house in Silver Spring, MD, to recover but soon learned that the facility was about to close. There are over 3500 self-sustaining Oxford Houses in the United States and more Sober living home than 24,000 individuals in recovery living in these houses at any one time during the year. Oxford House, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs both office and field staff to provide technical assistance to the network of houses to foster the expansion of the Oxford House Model. During 2010, approximately 24,000 individuals lived in an Oxford House for some or part of the year.
