Since September 2024, New York has offered its own state certification for recovery residences, and only homes certified under OASAS Part 860 may call themselves a Certified Recovery Residence. Those homes must accept all forms of legally prescribed medication for addiction treatment.
A second, NARR-based certification is available through NYSARR, so New York homes may hold either credential, both, or neither.
What Is a Sober Living Home in New York?
New York’s rules use “recovery residence” for what many call sober living. Under the Part 860 regulations, recovery residences are non-clinical homes that connect residents to treatment and support in the community.
There is no operating license for housing-only homes (Foote, 2026a). Anyone offering substance use disorder services needs OASAS program certification, so a home delivering counseling or clinical care must be certified as a treatment provider.
What Daily Life Looks Like in a New York Sober House
Expect work or a structured day, chores, house meetings, and outside recovery meetings, with a house mentor helping things run.
Keep readingHouse Rules in Sober HousesThe rules that keep a recovery home safe, structured, and worth living in.→In New York City and other transit-rich areas, ask about subway and bus access; upstate, ask how residents get to work.
How Long Do Residents Stay?
Most homes leave the length of stay open; several months to a year is common.
NARR Levels: Which Kind of Sober Living Home Fits You?
NARR’s four levels, peer-run to clinical, are the standard NYSARR uses, and OASAS-certified homes are non-clinical by definition.
| NARR level | Model | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | Peer-run | Democratically run homes with no paid staff, such as the Oxford House model, relying on peer accountability |
| Level II | Monitored | The classic sober living home, with house rules, peer accountability, and a house mentor |
| Level III | Supervised | More structured programming and life-skills support, with trained or credentialed staff |
| Level IV | Service provider | Homes that combine recovery housing with clinical services on site, which need OASAS treatment certification in New York |
Decide how much structure you want before comparing homes.
How to Choose a Certified Sober Living Home in New York
New York has two certification paths. OASAS certification under Part 860 brings state inspections. NARR-based certification comes through the New York State Alliance of Recovery Residences (NYSARR), the emerging New York affiliate of NARR.
OASAS-certified homes must give every resident a written residency agreement, disclose fees before admission, allow all forms of legally prescribed medication for addiction treatment, and follow a written grievance process. Part 860 also bars them from taking referral payments or borrowing from residents.
Ask each home:
- Which certification: OASAS Part 860, NYSARR, or none.
- Residency agreement: Written, with fees disclosed up front.
- Medication policy: Certified homes must allow all prescribed MAT.
- Grievance process: In writing.
OASAS lists the full resident rights and responsibilities for certified homes. You can raise a problem with the home’s leadership, with OASAS, or through the OASAS advocacy line at 1-800-553-5790, without retaliation. For uncertified homes, the sober home checklist helps.
Where to Find Sober Houses in New York
NYSARR keeps a list of voluntarily certified recovery residences from Long Island to Elmira, and the Sober House Directory covers more homes.
Sober living by city: New York City, Buffalo, Yonkers, Rochester, and Syracuse.
If treatment comes first, the OASAS Provider and Program Search finds state-certified care by county or ZIP code. New York’s HOPEline answers 24 hours a day at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (467369). The SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is another option.
How Much Does Sober Living Cost in New York?
Statewide, VSL’s Rent and Startup Cost Index models a shared sober living bed in New York at about $200 a week, or $865 a month (Foote, 2026b).
New York City, Long Island, Westchester, and private rooms cost more; upstate cities and small towns usually less.
Ways to Pay for Sober Living in New York
Help with costs in New York:
- Opioid Settlement Fund support: In January 2025, OASAS made up to $5 million in one-time settlement money available to certified recovery residences, up to $75,000 per site, per its certification announcement. The money goes to homes.
- Permanent supportive housing: If you are homeless or at risk, OASAS-funded permanent supportive housing pairs rent help with case management; tenants pay 30% of income or their shelter allowance. Ask your local Department of Social Services, or in New York City the Department of Homeless Services or HRA.
- Medicaid: Covers treatment such as outpatient care and medication for addiction treatment, not rent.
Those options help explain New York’s 8 out of 10 for resident funding access in VSL’s Operating Climate Index.
How to Apply for Sober Living in New York
Applying in New York:
- Choose a certification path: OASAS, NYSARR, or both.
- Shortlist homes: From NYSARR’s list and directories.
- Ask for the residency agreement: And the fee disclosure.
- Tour: Check posted rights and grievance steps.
- Move in: With ID, prescriptions, and the first payment.
Discharge planners at certified treatment programs often know which homes have openings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sober Living in New York
Are sober living homes licensed in New York?
Housing-only homes need no license. Since September 2024, they can choose OASAS certification as Certified Recovery Residences, and homes offering treatment need OASAS approval as providers.
How much does sober living cost in New York?
A shared bed costs about $200 a week, or $865 a month, in VSL’s model. New York City, Long Island, and private rooms cost more.
Does New York Medicaid pay for sober living?
Usually not for rent. It covers treatment, but a sober home is non-clinical housing. Ask your health plan or care manager about other support.
How do I check whether a New York sober house is certified?
Ask whether it holds an OASAS Certified Recovery Residence certificate or NYSARR certification, check the date and address, and look at NYSARR’s posted list.
Can I take medication for addiction treatment in a New York sober house?
In an OASAS-certified home, yes. Part 860 requires certified homes to allow all forms of legally prescribed medication for addiction treatment and bars refusing admission over it.
Is sober living the same as a halfway house in New York?
New Yorkers sometimes say halfway house for any recovery residence, but the two are distinct. A sober home is peer-run, stays free of alcohol and drugs, and is paid for by the people who choose to live there; a halfway house is usually staffed and funded by the state or corrections, with a set stay. There is no New York license for sober homes; since 2024, OASAS has offered voluntary certification for recovery residences.
Finding the Right Sober House in New York
An OASAS or NYSARR certificate is the best check you have on a New York home. Ask for the residency agreement and the medication policy in writing.
To talk through a decision, contact the Vanderburgh Sober Living team.
Take the next step
Search sober houses or talk with our team.
Search New York sober housesBrowse recovery homes across New York on the Sober House Directory.Search the national directoryRecovery homes anywhere in the US.Talk with our teamQuestions about choosing a sober house? We can help.Or call (844) 762-3747, weekdays 8a to 5p.
Research & Sources
- Foote, H. T. (2026a). Vanderburgh Sober Living Operating Climate Index, 2026 edition. Vanderburgh Sober Living. https://www.vanderburghhouse.com/research/operating-climate-index-2026/
- Foote, H. T. (2026b). Vanderburgh Sober Living Rent & Startup Cost Index, 2026 edition. Vanderburgh Sober Living. https://www.vanderburghhouse.com/research/rent-startup-cost-index-2026/
- National Alliance for Recovery Residences. (n.d.). New York State Alliance of Recovery Residences. https://narronline.org/affiliate/new-york-state-alliance-of-recovery-residences/
- National Alliance for Recovery Residences. (2018). NARR standard 3.0. https://narronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/NARR-Standard-3.0.pdf
- New York State Alliance of Recovery Residences. (n.d.). Certified recovery residences. https://www.nysarr.org/voluntarily-certified-recovery-residences/
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. (2024). Notice of adoption: 14 NYCRR Part 860, recovery residences. https://oasas.ny.gov/recovery-residences-part-860
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. (2025, January 31). First certification program for recovery residences in NYS. https://oasas.ny.gov/news/first-certification-program-recovery-residences-nys
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. (n.d.). Connect with permanent supportive housing. https://oasas.ny.gov/recovery/connect-permanent-supportive-housing
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. (n.d.). HOPEline. https://oasas.ny.gov/hopeline
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. (n.d.). Program certification. https://oasas.ny.gov/providers/program-certification
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. (n.d.). Provider and program search. https://findaddictiontreatment.ny.gov/
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. (n.d.). Resident rights and responsibilities in OASAS certified recovery residences. https://oasas.ny.gov/resident-rights-and-responsibilities-oasas-certified-recovery-residences
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). SAMHSA’s National Helpline. https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
