Housing

There are two types of housing for persons with alcohol and drug problems, clean and sober housing and harm reduction housing. The type of housing an individual chooses depends on their commitment to recovery. In most cases, the person has to pay a portion of their income for rent.

• In clean and sober housing, abstinence from drug and alcohol use is required before entering and for remaining in housing. There is regular staff monitoring and expectations to make sure that the housing environment is alcohol and drug free. Often this requires that the tenant undergo random urine analysis tests to check for the presence of drugs. Relapse often results in termination of the person's housing. Some agencies allow the person to keep their housing if they enter detoxification and/or enter a treatment program.
  Oxford House is also clean and sober housing but there is no staff. The house is run by the tenants, who share rent, the living chores and care of the house.
  
• Harm reduction housing does not require abstinence from drugs and alcohol. However, illegal drug use in housing usually results in immediate termination. The focus of the housing staff is to help the person to manage and reduce, as much as possible, their alcohol/drug use. The goal is to reduce the harm to health, social, and relationships from alcohol/drug use. There is an expectation that the person cooperate with housing staff to minimize the impact their alcohol/drug use has on their neighbors and the surrounding community.

Respite and interim (less than 30 days) housing is available for homeless individuals who are waiting to be accepted into an inpatient and residential alcohol/drug treatment program.

There are several local residential treatment programs where people live for a month or more:

• SEADRUNAR (206) 767-0244
• SEAMAR (253) 627-2250
• Thunderbird Treatment Center (206) 324-9360
• Perinatal Treatment Services (206) 223-1300
• Pioneer Human Services Co-Occurring Residential Treatment Facility (253) 856-1825
• Genesis House (206) 328-0881

Housing for persons receiving a State Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Treatment and Support (ADATSA) benefit is available for 90 days. A person on ADATSA should talk to their treatment counselor about housing.

If a person is in outpatient treatment, they should talk with their treatment counselor who will have a list of available housing and can help with the process.

Housing for persons recovering from alcohol and drug abuse does exist throughout Seattle and King County. Although there is no central directory that lists all the housing, below are telephone numbers and Web sites to help you find housing.

24-Hour Alcohol/Drug Help Line
www.adhl.org
Crisis Intervention, Information and Referral
Telephone: Crisis # (206) 722-3700

Crisis Clinic
www.crisisclinic.org
Community Information Line - call 2-1-1 or (206) 461-3200
24-Hour Crisis Line - (206) 461-3222

Recovery Café supportive community and resource center
www.recoverycafe.org
(206) 374-8731

Agencies that offer clean and sober housing:

Pioneer Human Services
www.pioneerhumanservices.com
(206) 766-7020

Oxford Houses
www.oxfordhouse.org
Seattle/King County Hotline (206) 528-3889
King/Snohomish Hotline (206) 517-2738

Archdiocesan Housing Authority
www.ccsww.org
(206) 448-3360

The following Web sites are helpful in finding affordable housing:

Apartment Finder
www.aptfinder.org

Housing Advocate
www.housingadvocate.org

Housing Authorities have affordable public housing, but they have a wait list of nine months or more:

King County Housing Authority
www.kcha.org
(206) 574-1100

Seattle Housing Authority
www.seattlehousing.org
(206) 461- 4888

Renton Housing Authority
www.rentonhousing.org
(425) 226-1850