How to Choose a Sober Living Home in the Treasure Valley
I've been sober since October 12, 1996. What I've learned is that getting sober and staying sober happen in different places. Treatment can get you through the door. Where you live next decides a lot about whether you stay.
If you or someone you love is looking for sober living in Boise, Meridian, Nampa or Caldwell, this guide is for you. It covers what to ask, what to watch out for, and where to start, including homes outside the Treasure Valley.
Know this first: Idaho doesn't license, inspect or certify sober living homes. Anyone can open one. That doesn't make them bad. It means you have to do the checking.
Sober living is not treatment
A sober living home (also called recovery housing) is a substance-free place to live with rules, accountability and people walking the same road. It doesn't provide detox or medical care. Most homes expect you to be medically stable when you move in, and many work alongside an outpatient program. If you need detox or treatment first, see our treatment resources guide.
10 questions to ask before you move in
- Who runs the house, and is anyone living on site? Ask for a house manager, not just a landlord.
- How do you test? Random and observed testing keeps a house honest.
- What's required each week? Meetings, house meetings, chores, work or school.
- What happens if someone uses? Get the relapse policy in writing.
- What does it cost, and what's included? Ask about food, utilities, supplies, testing and deposits.
- Is it men only, women only, or co-ed?
- How are medications handled? Ask about prescriptions and medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
- Is there a curfew, and how is it phased?
- What safety equipment is in the house? Smoke detectors, first aid, overdose reversal (naloxone).
- Can I talk to a current resident? A good house won't flinch.
Red flags
- No written rules or agreement
- No testing, or "we trust everybody"
- Pressure to pay in cash on the spot
- Promised outcomes or "guaranteed" sobriety
- Nobody can tell you who's in charge
Sober living in the Treasure Valley
SGLiving: men's sober living in Ada County
I'm a proud partner of SGLiving. I'm putting it first because I know it best, not because it's the only good option.
- Men only, two homes in Ada County
- Chores, required recovery meetings, weekly house meetings
- Phase-based curfews; residents work, volunteer or attend school
- Random observed drug and breath testing
- Onsite house managers, many in recovery themselves
- From $700/month. Includes your housing, the program, utilities, internet, and a furnished home: bed, kitchenware, laundry soap and other household basics. Food and personal items aren't included.
Openings change day to day. Call for current availability: 208.994.4772 · Apply online · Learn more about SGLiving
Rising Sun Sober Living
Men's and women's homes in Boise, Nampa and Caldwell. Offers IDOC re-entry housing. From $550/month per its website.
Office: 8050 W. Ustick Rd., Boise · (208) 898-4668 · risingsunsoberliving.com
HOPE House
Men only. Based in Nampa and serves the Treasure Valley.
208-497-3111 · hopehouseus.com
Also in the area: call to confirm
Phoenix House of Idaho (Boise & Nampa) (208) 918-8200 · River Sober Living (Boise, Meridian, Kuna) (208) 576-9527 · Legacy Sober Living (Meridian) (208) 577-1264
Sober living elsewhere in Idaho
| Area | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Twin Falls & Magic Valley | Rising Sun (men) · (208) 898-4668 The Walker Center's Walking Sober House, Gooding · 1-800-227-4190 |
| Sun Valley / Wood River | Men's Second Chance Living (MSCL House), Hailey, men only · msclhouse.org · 208-481-0182 |
| Pocatello & Chubbuck | Rising Sun (women) · (208) 898-4668 Moonlight Mountain Recovery, live-in program · 208-505-9990 |
| Blackfoot | Stewards of Recovery (residential program) · 208-932-4493 |
| Idaho Falls | Rising Sun (men) · (208) 898-4668 Oxford House (self-run sober homes) · oxfordhouse.org |
| Coeur d'Alene / North Idaho | Kootenai Recovery Community Center: free peer support and local housing referrals · (208) 932-8005 Oxford House, Post Falls · oxfordhouse.org |
Need help right now? Call or text 988 (24/7) · Idaho 211 CareLine: dial 2-1-1 · SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 · State-funded treatment: Magellan of Idaho 1-855-202-0973
If you don't know where to start, call us. Sobriety conversations are always free, given the same way they were given to me.
Sober Gangster and SGLiving aren't affiliated with the other providers listed. Listings were checked in November 2026. Details change, so call each provider to confirm services, cost and availability. This article is for information only and isn't medical advice.
