I live an Oxford House in Richmond, Virginia. And to say it has changed the trajectory of my life would be an understatement. . Oxford Houses are democratically self-governing and self-supporting under the Oxford House system of operations. Having a house that is self governed and peers that are working together not only to stay clean and sober, but are also working together to run a household has taught me a lot about how community is important and how much I need the support of others. My life had begun to spiral out of control about two years ago and after living in a sober living community for awhile, I heard about Oxford houses and how they can help you work your way back into society and "normal life" if you will. The rules and guidelines and pillars of self governing, democratic living have been paramount to my recovery and I have so much gratitude for what Oxford has provided me. I am gainfully employed as a civil servant, have regained my license, am free of legal entanglements and have gained a support system and life skills through my time in Oxford. I support rules that keep people safe, but rules that require staff or assume every home is a commercial business would keep Oxford Houses from operating in Virginia, even though research shows our model gets the best results. Please change those rules, and please clarify whether house members are considered the operator." I am coming up on a year in an Oxford house and have done so without the title of a commercial business or the supposed necessity of paid staff. The guys I live with and myself handle the financials of the house, paying bills on time, rent, utilities; we take care of the house we live in and have established relationships with neighbors who accept us as part of the neighborhood; we hold each other accountable to things as trivial as washing dishes all the way to glimpses of relapse and thoughts that could make us go back to lives we once led. The way that Oxford house runs works. I have my life, my health, my job, my family, contentment and peace of mind because I know that I have a place where my voice is heard and listened to and that is something that no law or "regulations" should interfere with. Please reconsider changing the rules that require paid staff so self governing houses such as mine can follow them. Please clarify whether the members of an Oxford house can be deemed operators since so many of the rules apply to the operator. And please stop assuming that every recovery home is a commercial business. Oxford house has changed my life and is fine just the way it is. Thank you for your time.