Toolkit Recovery Housing: Expanding Access and Supporting Choice
When people are homeless or at risk of homelessness, many look for safe, stable, and affordable housing within their communities. Some people benefit from housing that can also support them in working toward personal goals such as recovery from substance use or mental health conditions. Recovery housing, sometimes known as recovery residences, sober homes, or sober living, can help people who want to work toward substance use recovery within a supportive, homelike environment.
To help people seeking housing, different agencies and systems collaborate to inventory and create access to available housing options, often within a HUD Continuum of Care (CoC). People in housing and homeless services roles then work with individuals to find housing within and beyond the CoC. Recovery housing is an important resource to learn about and consider as part of a homelessness response system.
This brief explains what recovery housing is, why it is an important resource within a CoC, and how housing
and homeless service providers can help people find this type of housing. Sections include:
- Why is recovery housing an important housing option?
- What is recovery housing?
- What are the levels of recovery housing?
- Who is recovery housing meant to serve?
- What challenges might potential residents face?
- How do I find recovery housing in my community?
- How do I do my due diligence before recommending a recovery home to someone?
*This resource was updated in July 2026 to reflect current policy.