Articles & Guides
Expert resources to help you succeed. Browse by topic below.
State Guides
State-by-state guidance on starting a sober living home: who certifies, what applies, and how referral rules differ.
3 articles →
NARR Certification
How NARR affiliate certification works: levels, standards, reviews, renewals, and the states where law ties referrals to certification.
2 articles →
House Operations
Running a sober living home well: house rules, screening, medication and naloxone protocols, incident response, and the house manager role.
0 articles →
Zoning & Neighbors
Fair Housing Act protections, land-use rules, and the good-neighbor practices that keep a sober living home welcome on its street.
2 articles →
Funding & Fees
The honest economics of recovery housing: resident fees, operating costs, occupancy math, and where outside funding genuinely exists.
3 articles →
Featured Articles by Topic
Start with the most useful articles from each topic, then dive deeper into the full knowledge base.
State Guides
State-by-state guidance on starting a sober living home: who certifies, what applies, and how referral rules differ.
How to Start a Sober Living Home: An Honest Overview of What It Takes
The real sequence for opening a sober living home: property, entity, operations manual, intake paperwork, NARR affiliate certification, and referral relationships, with honest costs and timelines.
Fair Housing and Sober Living Homes
Federal fair housing basics. Confirm locally. Not legal advice.
Fire and Occupancy Before You Lease
Confirm with the fire marshal and building official.
NARR Certification
How NARR affiliate certification works: levels, standards, reviews, renewals, and the states where law ties referrals to certification.
NARR Certification Explained: Levels, State Affiliates, and When States Require It
How NARR certification works: the four recovery residence levels, the 33 state affiliates that certify homes, what reviews cover, and the states where law ties referrals or licensure to certification.
What NARR Levels Actually Mean
Certification is not a state license. Confirm your state.
House Operations
Running a sober living home well: house rules, screening, medication and naloxone protocols, incident response, and the house manager role.
Zoning & Neighbors
Fair Housing Act protections, land-use rules, and the good-neighbor practices that keep a sober living home welcome on its street.
Sober Living Homes and Zoning: What the Fair Housing Act Actually Protects
The settled legal framework for siting a sober living home: Fair Housing Act disability protections, the HUD and DOJ joint guidance on land use, City of Edmonds v. Oxford House, and what cities can still require.
Group Home Zoning Questions to Ask First
Name the planning office. Confirm locally.
Funding & Fees
The honest economics of recovery housing: resident fees, operating costs, occupancy math, and where outside funding genuinely exists.
What Sober Living Residents Pay and What Running a House Actually Costs
The honest economics of sober living: typical resident fee structures, where outside funding genuinely exists, the operator's real cost ledger, occupancy math, and the financial practices certification reviews expect.
Resident Fees Versus Program Income
What residents pay is not a grant. Confirm tax with a CPA.
What Treatment Centers Ask Before They Refer
Paper, not slogans. Confirm locally.