How to Successfully Open Your Own Half Way House

If you have been through substance abuse recovery or are currently in the process, you might have many questions regarding half way houses.  In fact, you might be wondering how to successfully open your own half way house because you undoubtedly have met some people dealing with similar issues who are also looking for a safe, supportive place to live while continuing their treatment.  While there are probably many transitional living situations and half way houses in your area, you could actually start your own facility depending on the resources that you have available.  It is actually not very difficult to do this, even with limited resources, but the very first thing that you need to know is that you do not need a license, degree, certification, or permit to open a half way house.  This is because alcoholism and addiction are technically classified as disabilities and any local authority that demands that communal living arrangements for people with these particular stigmas have a permit is in violation of the American’s with Disabilities Act.  In other words, no one can stop you from opening a half way house if that is what you want to do.

That being said, you probably still want to know how to successfully open your own half way house; not simply that you can.  If you think of it like any other business, most of the process will make perfect sense to you.  You need to decide where you want to open your sober house first of all.  Location can be important because depending on whether or not you want to “license” your facility there may be different zoning requirements or building permits that required by the city.  Keep in mind that these are permits to allow for utilities and safety measures and have absolutely nothing to do with the kind of “business” you are starting.  However, if you choose to get “licensed” you may be required to obtain building upgrades or follow certain guidelines, like how many people can occupy the building at the same time, etc.  You can get more information on all of this from the local licensure agent and zoning department.   

Like a business, you will also need to consider your upkeep costs and how much to charge your residents in order to keep them happy and safe while maintaining a safe budget as well.  Take into consideration food and utility costs as well as liability insurance, as well as any licensing you need and juxtapose them against your square footage to determine how many beds you can fit in each room.  This will tell you how much you need to charge per bed in order to stay afloat.

When figuring out how to successfully open your own half way house, the most important thing to remember is that your residents need counseling.  If you are licensed, you need to provide this either in home or provide access to another local facility like a church or community center that can do it for you.