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Debate on targeted funding for Oxford House and recovery residences centers on eviction policies
Summary
Committee members debated a small, new state funding stream for accredited recovery residences, including Oxford House, with some members questioning whether residents who lapse are quickly evicted and others defending accreditation practices and individualized responses.
Representative Davis, a committee member, described a targeted state investment to permanently acquire recovery residences and lease them to Oxford House and other accredited providers.
"So this is like basically a tiny poultry sum 1st of its kind for recovery residences specifically," Representative Davis said, arguing the dollars are small relative to broader housing investments but matter for people who credit Oxford House with long-term recovery. The presentation noted accreditation options through Walker and Oxford and that hundreds of homes could compete for the funding.
Committee member Malika asked whether providers commonly discharge residents quickly after a lapse, saying such exits are "obviously very destabilizing" for people who need stability. Mo Bailey, Recovery Support Services section manager at HCA, responded that Walker accreditation standards do not require immediate removal after a return to use and that most Walker-accredited providers try to respond on an individualized basis. Sherry, who identified herself as a founder of Kate's House Foundation, described a decade of operating a compassionate model that does not evict people for relapse.
The discussion did not produce formal direction or a vote; members agreed to continue the conversation offline and flagged the need to clarify eligibility and provider standards for the funding. The committee also heard HCA numbers showing statewide Oxford House expansion and that a portion of short-term voucher funds have gone to Oxford House and recovery residences.
