Hello my name is Marisol Sandoval and I am a resident of Liberia Woods Oxford House. I moved to Virginia from New Mexico to get away from the people, places, and things that were keeping me stuck in my addiction. I came here without anything familiar, and Oxford House gave me the perfect place to transition into a new life surrounded by women who were also working toward sobriety. If I had stayed where I was, I honestly don’t know where I would be today—I was quickly heading toward an early grave and had already reached a point where I was at risk of losing my job and everything I had.

Oxford House has truly saved my life. Living with other women in recovery has given me a support system that feels like family. Being part of a self-governing house has also taught me how to be accountable for myself, manage responsibilities, work through conflicts, and become a productive member of society again. The fact that we run the house ourselves is a huge part of why this model works for me. It feels like a real home and a step toward independence, rather than another treatment facility. Having staff in the house would make it feel more like rehab, while Oxford House gives people the opportunity to take what they have learned in recovery and practice living a normal, responsible life.

I support reasonable rules that protect safety, but rules that require staff or treat every recovery home like a commercial business do not fit the way Oxford Houses actually operate. The self-governing and self-supporting model is what makes Oxford House different and has been such an important part of my recovery. Please consider rules that recognize how Oxford Houses operate and clarify whether the house members themselves are considered the operator. Oxford House gave me a chance to start over, and I am incredibly grateful for the life and family it has helped me build.

Marisol Sandoval

sandoval.marisol20@gmail.com