Hello Mina Spice. Renting properties to sober living homes in Colorado involves a combination of understanding local laws, finding the right tenants, and ensuring your property meets the specific needs of a sober living environment. Here are some tips that may provide a little guidance:

Understand legal requirements and zoning laws, some municipalities have specific rules about where these homes can be located and how many residents are allowed. Familiarize yourself with the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, including those recovering from substance abuse. Sober living homes often fall under this protection. Ensure your property complies with all local health and safety codes. This might include smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, proper egress windows, and handicap accessibility. Sober living homes typically require certain amenities, such as furnished living spaces, common areas, and kitchen facilities. Consider adding features that support a communal and supportive living environment.

This is a good start, as renting properties to sober living homes in Colorado involves thorough preparation, understanding legal requirements, and establishing connections with reputable operators.

Hey @Mina Spice, are you wanting to lease to a sober living operator or run the homes yourself? I own 10 sober living homes and operate them myself in California and Massachusetts. 

If you decide to lease to an operator, I can help you identify some organizations in your area to reach out to. If you want to operate on your own, I can probably point you in the right direction. Next steps really depend on what your goals are.

To add what has been mentioned, I would connect with local recovery centers. And see if they can connect you to people in the area that are also running sober living homes. Those connections will help you work around some of the local restrictions. 

Hi @Mina Spice Renting properties to sober living operators can be a great way to make an impact while keeping your investment productive. In Aurora, it’s important to understand local regulations and find operators who have a strong track record of managing supportive, well-run homes.

I’ve worked with Vanderburgh Sober Living, and we’ve helped investors and property owners connect with reputable operators and navigate the specifics of contracts, management, and compliance to make the process smoother.

If you want, feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to share some insights or connect you with resources that could help you get started.

What is the pitch for an investor, non-operator? I think operators require special licensing most traditional real estate investors do not have.

I peaked at the Sober Living web site. They list a 2-man room and 3-man room as rental options, but there is no mention of how many men live in th heouse. Do municipality limits of number of unrelated people living together apply for these? The rents they were offering for tenants/patients seemed low, especially for a fully furnished home with high risk tenants.

@Mina Spice — easiest first step is deciding if you want to operate a sober living home yourself or just lease your property to an operator. If it’s the latter, there are usually groups in most markets who will sign long-term leases (often above market) and take on the day-to-day responsibilities.

If you’re leaning toward operating, definitely look at local zoning and your state’s NARR affiliate to understand certification standards. That’s what gives you credibility with referral sources and keeps everything compliant.

Either way, demand is strong, and done right, it’s a win-win for investors and the community. If you’d like, reach out and I can point you toward some resources and connections to help you move forward.