The Basics
What would eventually become sober living giant Oxford House was established in 1975 in Silver Springs, Maryland. Today, this non-profit organization provides self-supporting, self-run, long term sober living homes throughout the United States and in various other countries including Canada, Australia and Ghana. In Hawaii, there are 29 Oxford Houses.
Oxford House Hawaii includes several properties, which are Oxford House Bahay, Oxford House Makalea and Oxford House Waimalu. Both Oxford Houses Bahay and Makalea are located in Ewa Beach while Waimalu is in Aiea. Oxford House Waimalu was chartered in 2003, followed by Oxford House Makalea in 2012, and finally, Oxford House Bahay as recently as January 2015. Oxford House follows a 12-step approach, so it’s fitting their nine traditions heavily echo the values of The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Accommodations and Amenities
The male-only Oxford House Waimalu has a seven-bed capacity, while the female-only Makalea and Bahay Houses have eight-bed and 10-bed capacities, respectively. However, there are future plans for one of the Bahay houses to convert into a male-only home. All the houses are single-family residences with two bathrooms.
Residents are paired in dorm-like, gender-specific rooms furnished with twin beds and dressers. Local AA members often donate most of the furniture. Residents are responsible for purchasing their own groceries and cooking their own meals in the fully-equipped kitchens.
Rules and Regulations
Oxford House length of residency is typically about a year but some clients far exceed that time frame and stay up to four years. Ideally, people should have at least 30 days of abstinence from drugs and alcohol when they move into the community. They should also be regularly attending local 12-step meetings. The Oxford House supports a democratic operating system. As such, the members themselves run the houses. Elected officers, including a president, treasurer and secretary, are voted into their positions by their housemates.
For new clients, getting into an Oxford House is similar to joining a college fraternity or sorority. The houses interview applicants and then take vote on whether they should be admitted. The client is only allowed into the house if 80% of the members approve. Oxford House residents typically attend 12-step meetings in the community, but an in-house meeting occurs once a week. At this time, they also discuss the house’s financial status, new membership applications and other general concerns.
Oxford House Hawaii observes a strict midnight curfew. Additionally, house members must be self-supporting and pay their rent. Residents are individually responsible for attending meetings, working and gaining a recovery support network. The facility practices “tough love” with residents who have relapsed. Usually, those individuals are evicted immediately.
There is a $190 application fee and the rent costs between $450 and $475 per month, depending on the house. Respectful behavior is a must because as a self-supporting house, there are no staff members regulating the premises.
Extras
Residents attend sober events including AA/NA conventions. Recreational activities include some Hawaiian perks like surfing and kayaking. Members also regularly go bowling together.
In Summary
For independent individuals seeking long-term sober living in a 12-step environment this might be a great match. And the tropical surroundings certainly don’t hurt either. While continental US residents are discouraged from going to Oxford Houses in Hawaii, all potential clients are interviewed on a case-by-case basis—so the opportunity is still technically an option. But if accepted, one non-negotiable term is that everyone is mandated to attend at least ten local 12-step meetings prior to admission.
Oxford House Hawaii
State Chapter
350 Ward Avenue Suite 106-9
Honolulu HI 96814
Oxford House Hawaii Cost: $450-$475 (30 days). Reach Oxford House Inc. by phone at (808) 957-0324 or by email at Oxfordhi@hotmail.com. Find Oxford House Inc. on YouTube, Facebook and Google+
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