Neighbors oppose sober home in historic New Bedford neighborhood

vanderburgh house

The neighbors who have formed the group say they’re concerned about the impact of a sober house on safety, traffic and property values. We are New England’s premier sober living provider, with homes across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine. As a manager, Jake values the input and autonomy of his House Mentors, allowing them to run the homes in their own unique ways while providing support and guidance when needed. He is passionate about helping residents along their journey and fostering a family-like atmosphere in each home. As he says, “this is a kind of small family for a short period of time, so you have to treat each other that way”. Otherwise, Foote said, the house’s future was up in the air, although he acknowledges that he has considered expanding sober house operations in New Bedford.

House Mentors at Vanderburgh Sober Living

  • We’ve designed our program to meet the critical needs of referral sources and guests, ensuring a seamless process from introduction to placement.
  • The neighbors who have formed the group say they’re concerned about the impact of a sober house on safety, traffic and property values.
  • Apply online; someone will call you to conduct a phone screen usually within a few hours.
  • We welcome new guests who are committed to living a life of continued sobriety.
  • We are New England’s premier sober living provider, with homes across Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine.

Whether you’re seeking a sober living home for yourself or a loved one, find the perfect fit based on location, gender, or certification status. As is true of other sober living facilities, Vanderburgh House requires abstinence from drugs and alcohol. Residents are engaged in their personal recovery journey by attending meetings and working with a sponsor and the house manager for support and encouragement. Residents adhere to a curfew, submit to drug and alcohol screenings and participate in home and community events. People working in addiction recovery stress the importance of stable housing and peer support in helping people stay sober after addiction treatment.

Important Top Tips Before Applying

The Hawthorn Street property will be a seven-bed home for people with mental health disorders. The Lincoln, Rhode Island-based organization runs a variety of behavioral health programs for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. It will not treat patients with substance use disorder at the Hawthorn Street house, the organization’s regional director, Kimberly Mello, said. Sober houses are not regulated under city or state law, although Massachusetts has a voluntary certification program run by a nonprofit. Mitchell wrote an Aug. 25 letter to the State Ethics Commission seeking advice allowing him to act despite “a potential conflict of interest” should a sober house be proposed in his neighborhood.

vanderburgh house

Transitional Support

In many cases, we can combine the application and telephone screening in a single call, helping clients move forward without unnecessary delays. Apply online; someone will call you to conduct a phone screen usually within a few hours. Next Step, a transitional housing program with multiple locations in the Sp.. The Moreland Terrace district is restricted to single-family homes, but the zoning code allows “group homes” there by special permit granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Foote, of Vanderburgh, said one of his LLCs bought the Ash Street property without any particular designs on it.

Vanderburgh House

We invite you to explore photos and read testimonials from guests who have found the Prospect Home to be the right fit for them in their recovery journey. Children walk to the two elementary schools within less than half a mile, he said. He asked what happens vanderburgh house if sober house residents run afoul of house rules and have to leave. Walter Platt of Ash Street argued that the area — zoned for single-family homes and part of a historic neighborhood — is not the appropriate place for a house full of recovering addicts.

  • Sober houses are not regulated under city or state law, although Massachusetts has a voluntary certification program run by a nonprofit.
  • We carefully screen each application and conduct a telephone screen prior to approval to ensure a good fit in our homes.
  • Operating across multiple states, our network is built to deliver excellence and consistency you can rely on.
  • Discover a growing network of structured and certified VSL Chartered recovery homes.
  • Independent Chartered Operators meet the same high standards and practices as VSL’s staff-managed homes.
  • People working in addiction recovery stress the importance of stable housing and peer support in helping people stay sober after addiction treatment.

© 2025 💜  Vanderburgh Sober Living ™ is a cooperative network of independently operated sober living homes organized by The Vanderburgh Foundation, Inc., a registered 501(c)3 Charitable Foundation. The VSL and Vanderburgh House ™ brands are used with permission by VSL Chartered Operators. Discover a growing network of structured and certified VSL Chartered recovery homes.

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VSL Chartered Operators offer structured sober living for men and women where every guest is supported in their recovery journeys. Guests live together as a family to develop the tools and strengthen their character in order to live free from substance abuse. VSL homes allow for independence while guided by a set of recovery-focused house rules, standards, and expectations. Guests are engaged in their personal recovery journey by attending meetings and working with a sponsor and a House Mentor for support and encouragement. Guests adhere to a curfew, submit to drug and alcohol screenings, and participate in home and community events.