House & Chapter Literature & Guidelines » Oxford Houses of Virginia

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.

Learn about Oxford House

• Some operate for several years and then, because of expiration of a lease, dissatisfaction with the facilities, or simply the finding of a better location, the members of a particular House will move into a new location.
• The average stay is about a year, but many residents stay three, four, or more years.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• As a general rule formal AA or NA meetings are not held in an Oxford House member who has maintained comfortable sobriety in an Oxford House makes it a practice to attend a lot of AA and/or NA meetings on a regular basis.

Of that number 4,332 relapsed 19% and were expelled, while 7,668 moved out clean and sober. Experience of Oxford House has shown that from 8 to 15 members works very well. Oxford House will not charter a house with fewer than six individuals because experience has shown that it takes at least six individuals to form an effective group.

Q. How did Oxford House get started?

The bond that holds the group together is the desire to stop drinking and stay stopped. Modest rooms and living facilities can become luxurious suites when viewed from an environment of alcoholics working together for comfortable sobriety. Yes, because alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness are handicapping conditions. Oxford House, Inc. litigated the issue and in 1995 the United States Supreme Court considered the issue in City of Edmonds, WA v. Oxford House, Inc. et. Since then courts have found that the same protection applies with respect to fire safety standards and rates charged property owners for property insurance coverage.

Q. What is needed to expand the number of Oxford Houses?

The article discusses a challenge in Columbia Heights related to zoning regulations that may threaten the program citywide. Lawyers for Oxford House argue a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act, emphasizing the need to support this cost-effective and successful rehabilitation model in the city. Things that I have learned through AA and Oxford House are an attitude of gratitude, acceptance, marijuana addiction love, forgiveness, compassion, and the willingness to take that next step.

• In its simplest form, an Oxford House is a shared residence where people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction can live together and support each other in a drug and alcohol-free environment.
• In its simplest form, an Oxford House is a shared residence where people in recovery can live together and support each other in a drug and alcohol-free environment.
• Your stay in Oxford House helped make it what it is today and by keeping in touch with the Oxford House family you will make the organization better.
• List member’s assignments and rotate jobs so that everyone equally shares work to be done.

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

• Oxford House has enabled peer-run, self-sustaining, and substance-free housing since 1975.
• At the Oxford House World Convention held annually, Oxford Houses throughout the country vote for representatives to the World Council.
• Oxford House, Inc. acts as the coordinating body for providing charters for the opening of new Oxford Houses.
• Of that number 4,332 relapsed 19% and were expelled, while 7,668 moved out clean and sober.
• The situation should be avoided whereby certain individuals will begin to equate their persuasive qualities with the Oxford House concept.

Throughout its tradition, Oxford House has combined the concepts of self-support and responsibility with a fellowship having the common purpose of continued and comfortable sobriety. Oxford House must always have as its Primary goal oxford sober living the provision of housing and rehabilitative support for the alcoholic who wants to stop drinking and stay stopped and the drug addict who wants to stop using drugs and stay stopped. By the time many of us had stopped drinking, we had lost jobs; we had lost families, and some of us either had no place to live or no place to live which was not an invitation to start drinking again. Oxford House was founded not only to put a roof over our head, but also to create a home where the disease of alcoholism was understood and the need for the alcoholic to stay away from the first drink was emphasized.

This prohibition requires local governments to make a reasonable accommodation in their zoning laws to enable handicap individuals to effectively deal with their disability. The World Council is made up of both alumni and residents of Oxford Houses who are elected by their peers. Electing members to staggered three-year terms of office assures continuity of the 12-member World Council. This assures integrity and correct application of the Oxford House system of operations as documented in the Oxford House Manual© and Oxford House Chapter Manual©. The OHI field staff travel to Oxford Houses, Chapters, and Associations to provide technical assistance and training, assist with expansion, and network in the community.

Drug and alcohol free

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. The article explores the challenges and debates surrounding the concept, emphasizing the transformative impact it has had on residents’ lives. Other members were asked to leave half-way houses in order to make room for a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug addict who was ready to move into a half-way house. There is no reason to believe that society as a whole had the responsibility to provide long-term housing within a protected environment for the alcoholic and drug addict.

What is the Model?

Oxford House members share the house responsibilities and pitch in to do the chores. Today Oxford House has more than 20,000 residents at more than 3,500 homes across 47 states and several foreign countries. A long-running study by Chicago’s DePaul University shows that people completing one year of residency maintain a sobriety rate as high as 80 percent. View and download the latest House and Chapter Manuals, along with other forms used to conduct weekly house meetings. Any member who drinks alcohol or uses drugs will be immediately expelled. If you are not selected, you should try another house that has an opening.

It is not unusual that an individual who gets rejected at one house applies at another house with an opening and gets accepted. 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. Oxford House, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs both office and field staff. It is inconsistent with the Oxford House system of democratic rule to have a professional manager of Oxford House.