My name is Ivey Haupert, and I live at Oxford House Edgehill in Richmond, Virginia. Oxford Houses are democratically self-governing and self-supporting, and that is a big part of why the program has worked so well for me. Living with other people who are also in recovery gives me a safe and supportive environment where we hold each other accountable, encourage each other, and understand what we are going through because we are all working toward the same goal of staying clean and building better lives.

Being responsible for running our own house has also taught me a lot about accountability, communication, handling money, resolving conflicts, and working together as a team. Oxford House has helped me grow not only in my recovery but also in my personal life. I have been able to maintain full-time employment, work toward my future goals, strengthen my relationships with my family, and continue building a stable life in recovery. Oxford House has given me the opportunity to learn how to live independently while still having the support of people who understand recovery.

I support rules that keep people safe, but rules that require staff or treat every recovery home like a commercial business could prevent Oxford Houses from operating in Virginia the way they are designed to. The self-governing part is what makes Oxford House different and gives residents the responsibility and ownership that are so important to recovery. Please consider changing rules that do not fit the Oxford House model and clarify whether the house members themselves are considered the operator. I believe it is important to protect the self-governing and self-supporting structure that makes Oxford House such an important part of recovery for so many people.