Pros:
High demand for recovery homes
Desirable coastal location for out-of-state residents
Annual state fees are low
Cons:
Certification is required
Annual state fees required
NIMBY activity is intense in the state
Strange classification of sober living homes as “boarding houses”
No laundry or transportation allowed for certified homes
Cap of 10 beds per home for voluntarily certified facilites
More regulation is pending in the state legislature
Only one and two family residences can be converted into sober living homes
In New Jersey, Sober Living Homes Are Currently Considered “Boarding Houses”
New Jersey issues a Class F license for what they call “Cooperative Sober Living Residences” under regulations originally designed for boarding houses. This placement in the law is awkward for sober living homes because the designation is an add-on to existing regulations not specifically designed to respond to the needs of sober living home owners, operators or residents. This makes sober living home rules in New Jersey quite quirky.
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Oversees the Certification of Sober Living Homes in the State
Because they oversee the regulation of boarding houses - as well as strange entities like carnivals, ski lifts, and the state’s home warranty program - it’s the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs that all sober living home operators must deal with when seeking certification. Specifically, you’ll work with the Codes and Standards department at the DCA.
Class F Licenses in New Jersey for Sober Living Homes Have Annual Fees
You’ll pay a yearly fee for the privilege of operating a sober living home in New Jersey. That fee is capped at $333.00 per year for Class E Licenses.
Consider Joining the New Jersey Alliance of Recovery Residences (NJARR)
The New Jersey Alliance of Recovery Residences is the local affiliate of NARR (the National Association of Recovery Residences) in New Jersey. They are the standard-bearers for sober living home best practices in the United States and they advocate for the sober living home community at the local, state and federal level.
There are Two Forms to Fill Out to Apply for a Sober Living Home License in New Jersey
Both forms that you’ll need to complete can be found on the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Division of Codes and Standards website. The first form is the License Application for Owners and/or Operators of Rooming and Boarding Houses. The second form is the Rooming/Boarding House Information Form.
Prepare for Your Sober Living Home to Face Relatively Intense NIMBYism in New Jersey
NIMBYism is a problem everywhere in the United States for sober living homes, despite ADA protection for residents with a recognized disability. The opposition in New Jersey, however, tends to be more intense than what’s seen in other states. For example, a group of NIMBYs in Burlington County flooded a proposed sober living home before residents moved in to prevent the home from opening. Other high profile sober living “villians” make frequent appearances in the local news cycles.
More Sober Living Home Regulation May Be Coming to New Jersey
In 2020, New Jersey lawmakers proposed a bill, Assembly Bill 2270, which would institute a voluntary recovery residence certification program for the state. The bill was approved in one governing body but it is currently on hold waiting for a second vote for final approval. It is unclear when or if this bill will ever be revived. Lawmakers suggested A-2270 as a more holistic fix for the existing designation of sober living homes as “boarding houses” in the state. A more accurate and modern designation would help remove some of the existing limitations placed on sober living homes in New Jersey.
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