Oxford House - Kenzo

Oxford House, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1975 that operates a network of over 3,500 self-run, self-supported, democratically governed sober living homes across 47 states, providing affordable, community-based housing and rehabilitative support for individuals recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. Emerging from a group of residents who took over a closing halfway house in Silver Spring, Maryland, to ensure continued sobriety without time limits or external authority, the Oxford House Model emphasizes three core principles: recovery through active participation in AA/NA, responsibility via shared household duties and equal expense contributions, and replication by expanding access to these substance-free environments. Houses are gender-specific, accommodate at least six residents, and enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy for drug or alcohol use, with members staying as long as they remain sober, non-disruptive, and pay their share—averaging about a year but often longer. This evidence-based approach, validated by decades of research including studies from DePaul University showing over 80% long-term sobriety rates, higher employment, and reduced recidivism compared to usual care, targets underserved populations such as those with co-occurring mental health issues, veterans, women with children, and formerly incarcerated individuals, fostering leadership, self-efficacy, and peer support to help residents rebuild lives, avoid relapse, and reintegrate into society as responsible, productive members.