When you start looking for men’s recovery housing, you run into a wall of vocabulary. Recovery residence. Sober living. Halfway house. Level II. FARR. CRRA. IOP. Step-down. Some of these mean precise things. Some are used loosely, and some are used differently by different people.
This page is a reference. Each term gets a short, plain definition and, where it helps, a note on why it matters when you’re choosing a men’s recovery house. It’s organized in four groups: types of housing, standards and oversight, clinical terms you’ll hear alongside housing, and the day-to-day vocabulary of life in a house. Bookmark it, share it with family, and come back when a new word comes up on a phone call.
Why does vocabulary matter? Because the same word can hide very different houses. Two places can both call themselves “sober living” while one is a certified, well-run home and the other is a set of bunk beds with no rules anyone enforces. Knowing the precise terms lets you ask precise questions, and precise questions get revealing answers.
A note on scope: definitions vary between states and organizations. Where Florida has its own rules, we say so. Nothing here is legal advice.
Part 1: Types of recovery housing
1. Recovery housing
The broad umbrella term for alcohol- and drug-free homes that support people in recovery from substance use disorders. It covers everything from peer-run homes to residences connected to treatment providers.
2. Recovery residence
The more formal term, used in Florida law and by national standards bodies, for a residential dwelling that provides a peer-supported, alcohol-free and drug-free living environment. Florida defines and regulates certification of recovery residences in chapter 397 of the statutes.
3. Sober living home (or sober house)
The everyday term most people use for a recovery residence. A sober living home is shared housing with house rules, drug testing and peer support, typically for people who have finished or are continuing treatment. See what is sober living?
4. Men’s recovery house
A recovery residence that houses only men. Men-only houses aim to reduce distractions and make it easier for men to talk honestly with one another. Read why men-only sober living works differently.
5. Halfway house
A term with two common meanings. Sometimes it means transitional housing connected to the criminal justice system, for people leaving prison. Sometimes it’s used loosely for any sober living home. Ask which meaning someone intends. Our comparison: halfway house vs. sober living.
6. Three-quarter house
An informal term, used in some regions, for housing with less structure than a halfway house, often for people further along in recovery. Usage varies widely.
7. Oxford House
A specific, well-known model of democratically run, self-supporting recovery homes, operated under the Oxford House charter. Residents govern the house themselves with no on-site staff.
8. Transitional housing
A general term for temporary housing that bridges a gap, such as between treatment and independent living, or between homelessness and stable housing. Not all transitional housing is recovery-focused.
9. Step-down
Moving from a more intensive level of care or structure to a less intensive one. Treatment to sober living is a step-down; so is moving from a more structured house to a less structured one, or from sober living to your own apartment.
Part 2: Standards and oversight
10. NARR
The National Alliance for Recovery Residences, a national organization that publishes standards for recovery residences and works with state affiliate organizations that certify houses.
11. NARR levels of support
NARR describes four levels of recovery residence, based on how much structure and staffing a house provides:
- Level I (peer-run): democratically run by residents, no paid staff. Oxford Houses are an example.
- Level II (monitored): a house manager or senior resident oversees the home; house rules and peer accountability.
- Level III (supervised): more structure, with paid staff and more organized programming.
- Level IV (service provider): housing combined with clinical services, often run by a treatment provider.
Florida’s certification system uses its own levels, broadly modeled on NARR’s. Ask any house what level it is certified at.
12. FARR
The Florida Association of Recovery Residences, Florida’s NARR affiliate and the state’s designated credentialing entity for recovery residences. FARR certification means a house has been reviewed against standards for safety, ethics and quality. See our FARR guide.
13. Certified recovery residence
In Florida, a recovery residence that holds a valid certificate of compliance from the credentialing entity, under section 397.487 of the Florida Statutes. Certification is voluntary for many houses, but licensed treatment providers are generally restricted in referring patients to uncertified ones.
14. CRRA (Certified Recovery Residence Administrator)
In Florida, a person certified to administer recovery residences, through the Florida Certification Board. Certified residences are generally required to be overseen by a certified administrator.
15. DCF
The Florida Department of Children and Families, which oversees substance abuse and mental health services in the state and publishes information on certified recovery residences and administrators.
16. Patient brokering
Offering or paying anything of value to induce patient referrals to or from a health care provider or facility. In Florida, it’s a crime under section 817.505. Free rent tied to enrollment in a particular treatment program is a classic warning sign.
17. Fair housing protections
Under federal fair housing law, people in recovery from substance use disorders who are not currently using illegal drugs are generally protected against housing discrimination as people with a disability. This is one reason recovery residences can operate in residential neighborhoods. Details are complex; for more, see HUD’s fair housing pages.
Part 3: Clinical terms you’ll hear alongside housing
Sober living is housing, not treatment, but these terms come up constantly in the same conversations.
18. Detox (withdrawal management)
Medically supervised care to manage withdrawal safely. It’s typically the first step, and it’s clinical care, not housing.
19. Residential treatment
Live-in clinical treatment, often for several weeks. Many men move from residential treatment directly into sober living.
20. PHP (partial hospitalization program)
An intensive outpatient level of care, often most of the day on several days a week, while the person lives elsewhere, such as a sober house.
21. IOP (intensive outpatient program)
Structured outpatient treatment for a few hours, several days a week. Many residents of sober living attend IOP during the day; at The Foundry it counts toward the daytime commitment.
22. Aftercare
The plan for ongoing support after formal treatment: meetings, outpatient therapy, sober living, a sponsor and so on.
23. Level of care
How intensive someone’s treatment needs to be. A good recovery house will tell you honestly if someone needs a higher level of care than housing can provide. To find licensed care, use FindTreatment.gov. Our explainer: treatment vs. sober living.
Part 4: Life in the house
24. House rules
The written expectations residents agree to. Common ones: no alcohol or drugs, drug testing, curfew, meetings, chores, and work, school or treatment. See sober living rules.
25. Resident agreement
The document a resident signs on move-in, setting out rules, fees, rights and what happens if rules are broken. Read it before you sign.
26. Randomized drug testing
Testing at unpredictable times, rather than on a schedule a resident can plan around. A core accountability tool. See how drug testing works.
27. Curfew
The time residents must be home each night. Curfews are often earlier for newer residents.
28. Blackout period
An initial period after move-in when a new resident doesn’t have visitors or overnight passes, so he can settle into the house and program. At The Foundry, new residents have an initial blackout period before visits begin.
29. House meeting
A regular, usually weekly, meeting of all residents to discuss chores, problems, rule changes and how everyone’s doing.
30. Relapse policy
What a house does when a resident drinks or uses. Policies vary. A responsible policy protects the other residents and helps the man who relapsed get to the right level of care. Ask about it before move-in. At The Foundry, a relapse leads to an honest conversation about the right level of care, with help arranging detox or treatment when it’s needed.
A few more terms worth knowing
Medications for addiction treatment (MAT or MOUD)
FDA-approved medications used to treat substance use disorders, most commonly opioid use disorder, prescribed by a clinician. Recovery residences differ in how they handle residents who take these medications, and rules and standards in this area have been changing. If it applies to you, ask any house directly and in detail about its policy before move-in, and involve the prescriber.
Peer recovery specialist
A person with lived experience of recovery who is trained, and often certified, to support others. In Florida, peer certifications are issued through the Florida Certification Board. Peer specialists may work in treatment programs, community organizations or recovery housing.
Sober companion
A privately hired person who accompanies someone in early recovery, sometimes around the clock, for a period of time. Different from sober living; it’s a service, not housing.
Recovery capital
The resources a person can draw on to sustain recovery: relationships, housing, work, health, skills, community. Sober living exists largely to help men build it.
Private pay
Paying for something directly rather than through insurance. Sober living is generally private pay, because insurance covers clinical treatment rather than housing. See does insurance cover sober living?
Bonus terms you’ll hear in meetings
- Sponsor: a more experienced member of a 12-step fellowship who guides a newer member through the steps.
- Home group: the meeting a person commits to attending regularly.
- Fellowship: the community of a 12-step program, such as AA or NA.
- Clubhouse: a building that hosts many meetings a day.
Find meetings with AA’s finder or NA’s search. In South Florida, see our guides to Miami meetings and Hollywood meetings.
Putting the vocabulary to work
When you call a men’s recovery house, a handful of these terms will tell you most of what you need to know. Ask: are you certified, and at what level? Who administers the house? Is it men-only? How is testing done? What’s the curfew? What’s the relapse policy? Can I read the resident agreement? The answers, and how readily they come, will separate the solid houses from the rest. Our guide to finding men’s sober living near you turns this into a checklist.
About The Foundry
The Foundry runs two FARR-certified men’s recovery residences in South Florida. Foundry: Lakehouse is a lakeside home in North Miami Beach; Foundry: Beachhouse sits on the Intracoastal in Hollywood. Both are men-only, run by men in recovery who are active in the fellowship, and built around the twelve steps, with randomized testing, curfew, chores, and work, school or an outpatient program. We’re a recovery residence, not a treatment provider.
Questions about any of these terms, or about a house you’re considering? Call (954) 817-7143. If anyone is in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911.
