Oxford House - Brighton Avenue

Oxford House Brighton Avenue is an ordinary rented house in Portland, Maine, in Cumberland County, run by the women who live in it. It has room for 8 residents.

There is no staff here and nobody is a patient. The residents hold the charter themselves, elect their own officers, and divide the rent, utilities and household bills between them, which is what keeps a week here within reach of someone just back at work. The charter comes down to three rules: run the house democratically, pay its own way, and immediately expel anyone who goes back to drinking or using. Nobody leaves on a schedule — most arrive after detox or a residential program and stay until they are ready to go.