I live in Oxford House - Rising Sun in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Oxford Houses are democratically self-governing and self-supporting under the Oxford House system of operations. The House works Really well the way it is. Placing a "Manager" into each house is going to make it more like a program, as well as give it the appearance of having to be told you can and can't by another individual. I support keeping Oxford Houses without a paid house manager or other paid staff, because it requires us as residents and members to take responsibility for our house. I have served as a house officer for over five months now, almost the full six-month officer term, and I have been held responsible and accountable because of this.

I support rules that keep people safe, but rules that require staff or assume every home is a commercial business would keep Oxford Houses from operating in Virginia, even though research shows our model gets the best results. Please change those rules, and please clarify whether house members are considered the operator.