Guide · Life in the house
Sober living house rules: what to expect
Most sober living homes require you to stay sober, accept drug testing, keep a curfew, do chores, pay rent on time, attend recovery meetings and work or look for work. Breaking the sobriety rule usually ends your stay. Here are Overcomers’ actual rules and the reason behind each one.
Structure is love with skin on it. Every rule in a good sober home exists to protect the man fighting for his life, including you. Here’s what that looks like at Overcomers.
The everyday rules
| Rule | Why it exists |
|---|---|
| Curfew at 10 PM unless your house manager approves | Late nights are where old habits find you |
| Quiet hours from 10 PM to 6 AM | Men here work early. Sleep protects sobriety. |
| Chores done before the Sunday house meeting ($15 cleaning fee if not) | A clean house is a safe house, and owning your part is the point |
| No food or drinks except water in bedrooms | Keeps shared homes clean and pest-free |
| Bedroom doors stay unlocked; managers may enter when there’s concern | Secrets are where relapse hides |
| Visitors approved by the house manager and leadership | Protects every man’s sobriety and privacy |
| No tobacco inside or in front of the house | Respect for housemates and neighbors |
| Rent paid before the Sunday house meeting ($25 late fee after) | Keeps the house running for everyone |
The non-negotiables
- Sunday service at The Good Fight Church, every week
- Tuesday Disciple Me at The Good Fight Church, every week
- Recovery meetings by time sober: 30 in 30 days for the first 3 months, 5 a week from 3 to 6 months, 3 AA meetings a week after that
- Work, school, treatment or an active, documented job search
Drug and alcohol testing
Every man is tested at intake to set a baseline, then randomly, for cause and after any overnight pass. Refusing a test, tampering with it or trying to beat it counts as a positive.
Zero tolerance
Some lines end a stay immediately: using alcohol or drugs or failing or refusing a test, violence or harassment, weapons, pornography, bringing substances onto the property, and sharing or selling medication. For everything else, there’s a clear ladder: a verbal redirect, a written warning, an accountability plan, then removal.
What happens after a relapse
A relapse ends your stay, because one man’s use puts the whole house at risk. It doesn’t end your story. We never put a man on the street to fend for himself; we connect him with detox, treatment, family or other housing, and many men come back after treatment and finish strong. And calling 911 for an overdose is always protected. No one is punished for saving a life.
Questions to ask any home about its rules
- Can I read the full rules before I pay?
- How often do you test, and what happens after a positive?
- What are the fees, and are they refundable?
- How do I file a complaint if something goes wrong?
- Do you keep naloxone in the house?