A substance-free home
Housing where expectations about alcohol and other drugs are clear, shared and written down.
Men's, women's and co-ed sober living
Sober living in Long Beach, CA
We help people in recovery, and the families supporting them, find a steady place to live in Long Beach, with men's, women's and co-ed sober living through our partner home in the city. Sober living is a substance-free home with house rules and peer accountability, usually while residents work, study or attend outpatient care. It is housing, not treatment. Below: how it works, what it costs in LA County, who can help pay, and what to check before anyone moves in.
Private questions · No pressure · Families welcome
You are not choosing a perfect future today. You are choosing the next place where recovery can keep becoming everyday life.
Before you compare homes
Our advice: before you look at photos, ask any Long Beach sober living home for three things in writing.
- 01
The full monthly cost, in writing
Rent, deposit, move-in fees, what is included and the refund policy. The national NARR standard expects all of this before any money changes hands.
- 02
What happens if a resident uses again
SAMHSA's recovery housing guidance asks every house to put its return-to-use policy in writing. Read it before move-in, not after a crisis.
- 03
Which support level the house runs at
California has no state license for sober living, so ask which NARR level the home follows and whether it holds any certification.
If a house cannot answer all three clearly and in writing, ask why before your loved one moves in.
What a sober living home is
What is a sober living home in Long Beach?
A sober living home in Long Beach is a substance-free house for people in recovery, with more independence than treatment and more structure than going straight home. Sober living homes give a person in recovery a substance-free place to rebuild routines, relationships, work and confidence, with shared expectations and peers who are doing the same.
More daily structure
Household routines and responsibilities while work, school, outpatient care and recovery meetings continue outside.
Peer community
Living alongside people who understand that recovery is practiced in ordinary moments.
A bridge forward
Time to strengthen independence and plan the next stable housing step.
How California treats sober living
California law describes sober living homes as recovery residences: homes that support recovery from substance use and do not need a license from DHCS, the state department that licenses treatment facilities. That definition was written into state law by AB 2574 in 2024. A bill that would have set standards for state-funded recovery housing, AB 255, was vetoed in 2025, so there is no statewide certification for sober living today.
Because the state does not license these homes, the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) support levels are the most useful common language. Level 1 homes are peer-run. Level 2 homes have a house manager or senior resident. Level 3 homes are supervised, with clinical care used outside the home. Level 4 homes provide clinical services in the home; under California's definition, a home that provides licensable services is no longer a recovery residence.
Is sober living the right door?
Is sober living the right fit, or is another Long Beach program better?
Sober living fits someone who is sober now, ready for house rules and able to cover rent or qualify for a program that does. If that is not the situation today, these doors are the better place to start.
01
Needs detox or treatment firstLA County SASH helpline, 1-800-854-7771, option 2, for screening and referral
02
Homeless, not in treatment and cannot pay rentLong Beach Multi-Service Center, 1301 W. 12th Street, (562) 570-4500 (single adults)
03
A veteran without stable housingNational Call Center for Homeless Veterans, 1-877-424-3838, 24/7
04
On California state paroleThe parole agent, about CDCR's STOP program
05
In immediate danger or crisisCall 911, or call or text 988
Long Beach halfway house or sober living?
How is sober living different from a halfway house or transitional housing?
Sober living is recovery housing a resident usually pays for, a federal halfway house serves people leaving prison, and transitional housing serves people experiencing homelessness. People searching for a Long Beach halfway house or transitional living often need one of those other programs, which decides who can live there, who pays and how long a stay lasts.
Compare sober living and halfway houses| Type | Who it is for | Who pays | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sober living home | People in recovery who want a substance-free home and can follow house rules | Usually the resident; some LA County programs pay for people who qualify | Set by the house |
| Halfway house (federal) | People nearing release from federal prison | Federal Bureau of Prisons | Set by BOP |
| Transitional housing (HUD) | People experiencing homelessness | Public homelessness funding | Up to 24 months |
| Licensed residential treatment | People who need treatment or withdrawal care | Medi-Cal, insurance or private pay | Set clinically |
Program rules from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, HUD (24 CFR 578.3), DHCS and LA County SAPC. See Sources below.
For familiesFor the person who is helping
How can families help a loved one choose sober living?
Families help most by comparing sober living homes together, agreeing on money and boundaries early, and getting support of their own, so no one carries the decision alone.
- 01
Start with the transition
What is changing now, and what would make the next month more stable?
- 02
Compare the real household
Look past photos. Review the operator, rules, peers, location, fees and daily expectations.
- 03
Agree on money and boundaries
Pay the house directly rather than handing over cash, and keep receipts. Clarify contact, transportation and which responsibilities belong to the resident.
- 04
Get support for yourself
Al-Anon has no dues or fees, and SMART Recovery Family & Friends runs free meetings online and in person. Both are for you, whatever stage your loved one is at.
What to verify
What should you verify before choosing a sober living home?
Verify who runs the sober living home, what it puts in writing and which support level it follows. The website, neighborhood and price can start a search, but with no state license to lean on, these checks separate one Long Beach sober living home from another.
01
Legal operator and who is accountable day to day
02
Complete fees, deposit and refund terms before any payment
03
Resident agreement and house rules
04
Written return-to-use policy, and when family is told
05
NARR support level and any certification
06
Medication policy, including prescribed medications for addiction treatment
07
Visiting, testing and discharge policies
08
Clear separation of housing and any clinical care
Everyday recovery
What does a typical day in sober living look like?
A typical day in sober living follows a repeatable rhythm: a planned start, work or appointments during the day, and house responsibilities in the evening. Every home sets its own schedule, so ask for it.
Begin with rhythm
Sleep, hygiene, breakfast, planning, medication routines where they apply, and a clear start.
Return to purpose
Work, education, appointments, volunteering, job search, errands and outside recovery support.
Come back to community
Meals, chores, house meetings, peer connection, personal time and a predictable close.
These are questions to explore with any house, not a description of a specific home's schedule.
Long Beach area guides
Which Long Beach neighborhoods fit a sober living routine?
The right neighborhood for sober living is the one that fits the resident's real routine: transportation, work, appointments and family visits. Compare them across the city.
Explore all area guidesDowntown Long Beach
A practical area guide for comparing recovery housing near a denser, more connected part of the city.
Read the area guideBelmont Shore
Questions to ask when location, walkability, coastal routines, and household expectations all shape fit.
Read the area guideBixby Knolls
A family-centered guide to evaluating sober living around a more residential North Long Beach setting.
Read the area guideNaples
A realistic way to compare recovery housing near Naples without confusing setting with support.
Read the area guideEast Long Beach
How to evaluate routine, transportation, and long-term fit in East Long Beach.
Read the area guideSignal Hill
A transparent guide for people searching for sober living near Signal Hill and central Long Beach.
Read the area guideCost and payment
How much does sober living in Long Beach cost?
Sober living in LA County ranged from $300 to $1,350 a month at the more affordable houses in a published study that mapped 260 sober living houses across LA County using 2015 data. Those houses averaged $650; the higher-cost houses charged $1,500 to $10,000, averaging $4,555. A later study using 2017 to 2018 data found fees from $300 to $20,000. The figures are years old, so ask each house for its current written rate.
Who can help pay in LA County
Medi-Cal does not pay room and board, so it does not cover sober living rent. LA County's Recovery Bridge Housing is free to the resident for up to 180 days when your loved one is 18 or older, homeless or unstably housed, on Medi-Cal or a county program, and enrolled in outpatient treatment. Since January 2026, Medi-Cal Transitional Rent can pay up to six months of rent for members who qualify, if their plan accepts the setting. The county SASH helpline, 1-800-854-7771, option 2, can screen and refer.
What is due before move-in?What does the monthly fee include?What is the refund policy?Does the house take county placements?
Plan for sober living cost Common questions
Common questions about sober living in Long Beach
What is the average cost of sober living in Long Beach?
A published study of LA County sober living houses, using 2015 data from 260 homes, found the more affordable houses charged $300 to $1,350 a month, averaging $650, while higher-cost houses averaged $4,555. A later study using 2017 to 2018 data found fees from $300 to $20,000. Ask each house for its current written rate.
Who pays for sober living homes in California?
Usually the resident or their family. Medi-Cal does not pay room and board. In LA County, Recovery Bridge Housing can cover up to 180 days for people with Medi-Cal who are homeless or unstably housed and enrolled in outpatient treatment, and Medi-Cal Transitional Rent can pay up to six months for members who qualify.
How long can a person live in sober living?
California sets no statewide limit for private sober living, so each house sets its own policy; ask for it in writing. Publicly funded stays have limits: LA County's Recovery Bridge Housing allows up to 180 days, and its Recovery Housing program allows up to 12 months within two years. Plan the next housing step early.
What housing programs are available in Long Beach?
It depends on the need. Single adults experiencing homelessness start at the Long Beach Multi-Service Center, (562) 570-4500. People in substance use treatment can ask the LA County SASH helpline about Recovery Bridge Housing. Veterans can call 1-877-424-3838, and people on state parole can ask their agent about CDCR's STOP program.
Is sober living the same as rehab?
No. Rehab is treatment, and in California residential treatment facilities are licensed by DHCS. Sober living is a substance-free home with house rules and peer support, and state law describes it as a recovery residence that needs no DHCS license. A resident can attend outpatient treatment separately while living in sober living.
Is a halfway house the same as sober living?
Not formally. The Federal Bureau of Prisons uses "halfway house" for its residential reentry centers, which serve people nearing release from federal prison. People also use the phrase loosely for sober living. Before assuming, ask who runs the house, who can live there and who pays the rent.
One private form
Ask about sober living in Long Beach, privately
You can be early in the process. Share the broad situation and the questions that matter most. Do not include medical records or highly sensitive details.
What this form does: starts a conversation.
What it does not do: guarantee a bed, determine clinical fit, or replace emergency help. If someone is in danger, call 911, or call or text 988.
Prefer to talk? Call (562) 568-7256. Calls go straight to our partner sober living home in Long Beach. Men's, women's and co-ed living available.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official and peer-reviewed sources on 25 September 2026.
- AB 2574 (2024), recovery residence definition, California Legislature
- Health and Safety Code Section 11834.01, California Legislature
- AB 255 (2025) bill status, California Legislature
- NARR Levels of Support, National Alliance for Recovery Residences
- NARR Standard 3.0, National Alliance for Recovery Residences
- Best Practices for Recovery Housing, SAMHSA (2023)
- Mericle, Polcin et al. (2016), sober living houses in Los Angeles County
- Mericle et al. (2020), sober living houses in Los Angeles County
- CalAIM Behavioral Health FAQ (room and board), DHCS
- Recovery Bridge Housing, LA County Department of Public Health SAPC
- Treatment Systems of Care (RBH stays up to 180 days), LA County SAPC
- Information Notice 25-04, Recovery Housing, LA County SAPC
- Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SASH helpline), LA County
- Transitional Rent benefit, Health Net California (2026)
- 24 CFR 578.3, transitional housing definition, HUD
- Multi-Service Center, City of Long Beach
- Residential Reentry Management Centers, Federal Bureau of Prisons
- STOP program, CDCR
- National Call Center for Homeless Veterans, VA
- Newcomers FAQ, Al-Anon Family Groups
- Family & Friends, SMART Recovery
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline