Each individual recovers from alcoholism or drug addiction at a different pace. 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. Oxford House Inc., is a non-profit, tax exempt, publicly supported corporation which acts as a umbrella organization for the national network of Oxford Houses. It provides quality control by organizing regional Houses into Chapters and by relying oxford house sober living heavily upon the national network of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups. While Oxford House is not affiliated with AA or NA, its members realize that recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction can only be assured by the changing of their lifestyle through full participation in AA and NA. In most communities, the members of those organizations help Oxford Houses get started and report any charter compliance problems to the national office of Oxford House World Services with respect to a particular house.
Q. How did Oxford House get started?
An important part of why Oxford House has been so successful is that accountability and responsibility is given to the recovering individuals themselves. As a group they behave responsibly and out of the “group responsibility” individuals develop a new responsible lifestyle free of alcohol and drug use. Oxford House works because an individual resident who returns to using alcohol or drugs–in or outside of the house–must be immediately expelled from the house.
Q. Is there any financial aid available to start a new Oxford House?
One of the greatest threats to the sobriety of a recovering alcoholic or drug addict is loneliness. At a time when we acquired a serious desire to stop drinking or using drugs, many of us had lost our families and friends because of our alcoholism and/or drug addiction. Too often, newly recovering alcoholics and drug addicts are faced with the necessity of living alone and of relying solely on contacts with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to stay sober.
Q. How many individuals lived in an Oxford House during 2010?
At the same time Oxford House follows laws in the community at large including those that prohibit others from discriminating against the existence of the individual Oxford House. The average number of times an Oxford House resident has been through prior treatment is three, but for about a quarter of residents their Oxford House residency is after their first treatment episode. Failure to adhere to any of these three requirements would bring the entire Oxford House concept into question. Therefore, it is important that each Oxford House meet these minimum responsibilities in order for its charter to be continued. All Oxford Houses have been careful to avoid undo dependence on government or other outside funds. Every Oxford House member attributes his sobriety to Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous.
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. In 1994, Robert L. Schonfeld, Esq. and Seth P. Stein, Esq. [currently with Moritt Hock Hamroff & Horowitz LLP, Garden City, NY] writing in the Fordham Urban Law Journal, Vol. While the article was published a few months before the Supreme Court decided City of Edmonds, WA v. Oxford House, Inc., the Court’s decision is consistent with the reasoning and conclusions of Schonfeld and Stein.
If the individual is a signatory to the lease the immediate eviction becomes difficult, if not impossible, because of local landlord-tenant rights. In many jurisdictions it takes up to ninety days to evict a tenant even for non-payment of rent. Since no individual is a signatory to a Oxford House lease, the relapsing individual who is being evicted has no legal rights to delay his or her departure. There is no way to accomplish this result without the signature on the lease being in the name of the particular Oxford House group. Oxford Houses are self-run, self-supported recovery homes for same sexed individuals. These homes are typically found in quiet, nice neighborhoods and offer a drug and alcohol free living environment for those in early recovery.
- During our drinking and drug use years, and even before, many of us found it difficult to accept authority.
- The degree to which we were able to successfully change our lives had a direct relationship to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.
- For example, courts have sustained the position that insurance companies cannot charge landlords more for comprehensive insurance when the landlord is renting property to handicapped individuals.
- 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.
- Oxford House works because an individual resident who returns to using alcohol or drugs–in or outside of the house–must be immediately expelled from the house.
Senior Federal Judge Gerard L. Goettel, in his decision, explains in detail the different types of discrimination under the Federal Fair Housing Act and such basic requirements on government and others to make reasonable accommodation. 2d 262 (2001) was substantially affirmed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the residents who elect officers to serve for terms of six months. In this respect, they are similar to a college fraternity, sorority, or a small New England town.
- During the last days of our drinking or using drugs, most of us ceased to function as responsible individuals.
- At the same time Oxford House follows laws in the community at large including those that prohibit others from discriminating against the existence of the individual Oxford House.
- Each individual group is given an Oxford House Charter which makes it a part of the network of Oxford House recovery houses.
- The bond that holds the group together is the desire to stop drinking and stay stopped.
- All aspects of Oxford House operations, from the acquisition of the house to the acceptance or dismissal of members, is carried out under democratic procedures.
The average length of jail time is about one year, with a range of few days to more than ten years. This is understandable since as many as 80% of the current jail/prison population are alcoholics and drug addicts. Oxford Houses seem to stop the recycling in and out of jail or treatment facilities. 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.
Each individual group is given an Oxford House Charter which makes it a part of the network of Oxford House recovery houses. Those who have benefited from an Oxford House have acquired enthusiasm for the Oxford House concept. In their enthusiasm, they have been anxious to share Oxford House with any recovering alcoholics and drug addicts who want to establish an Oxford House in their community. The rights of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts to live in Oxford Houses located in good neighborhoods are well established. A memorandum summarizing cases involving Oxford House precedents under the federal Fair Housing Act entitled Legal Memo Zoning can be downloaded. The HUD Complaint Form for filing a discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development can be download here.
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