Oxford homes offers fresh start for addicts in Pueblo

A safe place to find recovery -- that’s Oxford Sober Living Homes hopes to provide addicts around the entire globe. The non-profit has more than a dozen homes throughout Colorado Springs. Now Pueblo has joined the club.

Since September, Oxford Homes opened three new homes in Pueblo

“I get to do what I love the best and people the same opportunity that was given to me, and that’s [to] give their life back,” said Beau Kelly, a representative for the Oxford Sober Living Homes.

Kelly is a recovering Addict and felon himself, but today he lives in and runs the Oxford homes within the steel city. However, he’s not alone, each Oxford home is run in a democratic fashion by all the tenants.

“It’s kind of like the inmates type of running the asylum type of theory," said Kelly. "It teaches them to be accountable, responsible and live independently on their own.”

Oxford does not offer treatment, tenants are required to find treatment outside of the home. The non-profit only mandates that tenants do three recovery-based activities a week.

Besides recovery, each tenant must adhere to a number of set rules if they hope to live in the home.

The homes hold no tolerance for relapses, no drugs or alcohol. If a tenant does relapse they could be evicted, however, they do have an opportunity to earn their way back into the homes.

Also, each tenant has a specific role within the house, cleanliness is a must, and all tenants must hold jobs.

“If you can’t pay your bills you are not going to be successful," said Kelly. "So we need people that have the motivation to be self-supportive and take care of themselves.”

Unfortunately moving into Pueblo makes sense for Oxford.
According to a 2018 Colorado Department of Health and Environment study, Pueblo County ranks 8th in Colorado when it comes to opioid overdose death rates, 28 deaths for every 100,000 people.

“We know that it’s really an area that needs this type of opportunity for people to get on their feet," said Kelly. "There are very little programs here.”

Kelly hopes to open several more homes in the near future.
His goal is six new homes a year.

Tenants pay rent ranging from $550 to $575 a month and must pay a $200 down payment to enter.

Oxford has opened three homes, one for men and two for women. One home for women just opened Thursday. There are beds available for both men and women.

For a full list of current vacancies at Oxford homes you can find them here.