My name is Peyton and I am currently a member of an Oxford House in Virginia. Oxford Houses are democratically self-governing and self-supporting under the Oxford House system of operations. I have suffered through the grips of addiction for 20 years and the past 3 is the first time in my entire life I’ve been given the opportunity to live. This is due to the way Oxford House operates. Since coming here I’ve learned a great deal about myself and one of the best parts is that all of the members living in the house share the responsibility of keeping ourselves and each other accountable. We pay the bills, lean on each other for support, and get to learn skills that transfer into the real world. There is a standard in Oxford House that there isn’t anywhere else. I’ve developed true friendships here in Oxford House and have gained self confidence beyond my wildest dreams. 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.