WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced legislation to help individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder (SUD) access stable housing. The Safe and Secure Housing for Opioid Recovery and Enduring Stability (Safe SHORES) Act of 2024 would reauthorize the Recovery Housing Program (RHP), first enacted as part of the SUPPORT Act of 2018. The legislation would extend the program until 2029 and increase authorized funding to at least $50 million per year. The RHP’s authorization expired in 2023.

“Housing is a fundamental need, and safe, decent transitional housing can make the difference for Americans traveling the road to recovery,” said Senator Coons. “The Safe SHORES Act will reauthorize a crucial program in the fight against the opioid epidemic and ensure that many more Americans recovering from addiction don’t have to worry about having a roof over their heads. I’m proud to work on this bill with Senator Capito, and I hope the Senate will quickly take it up and pass it.”

“Transitional housing is a crucial part of recovery for many suffering from addiction,” said Senator Capito, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS). “The Safe SHORES Act will give state recovery housing programs additional resources to assist those in need of a stable residence during what we know can be a difficult path to recovery. This bill takes another step forward in the fight against opioids in our West Virginia communities and I look forward to seeing it pass.”

The RHP provides funding to states and the District of Columbia to acquire, build, or rehabilitate transitional housing for those in recovery from substance abuse. The Safe SHORES Act of 2024 will extend, expand, and improve the RHP to serve more Americans. Specifically, the bill would:

  • Increase authorized funding to no less than $50 million per year;
  • Give states and grantees additional flexibility to distribute funds as they need and allow grantees to cover more costs that come with providing housing;
  • Encourage states to award grants to facilities that participate in best practices that meet state standards of accreditation and have robust workforce development and emotional support programs; and
  • Require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to produce an annual performance report outlining the distribution of RHP awards and project developments.

Passing Safe SHORES will help the United States continue to address the worst drug epidemic in its history. In 2021, more than 75% of the nearly 107,000 drug overdose deaths involved opioids.

“The opioid crisis has hit hard in rural communities across the nation,” said Alan Morgan, CEO, the National Rural Health Association. “The Recovery Housing Program offers welcome relief for these communities and allows them the capacity to provide safety and sanctuary for individuals on their journey to recovery. The National Rural Health Association commends Senators Coons and Capito for championing the reauthorization of this critical program through legislation in the Safe SHORES Act.”

“BPC Action applauds Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) for their leadership in introducing the Safe SHORES Act, which would reauthorize and build upon the Recovery Housing Program administered by HUD,” said Michele Stockwell, President, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Action. “Created as part of the SUPPORT Act of 2018, HUD’s Recovery Housing Program has proven invaluable in fostering a safe and healthy living environment for individuals on the path to recovery from substance use disorders. The Safe SHORES Act echoes the position of BPC’s J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy, that bipartisan policies are needed to ensure that homelessness in the United States is a rare, brief, and one-time occurrence; and BPC’s Health Program’s position to further expand access to addiction treatment and recovery.”

“The Safe SHORES Act of 2024 is essential for our community here in Delaware,” said Domenica Personti, CEO, Impact Life. “By providing critical support to recovery housing facilities, this bill will help us address the opioid epidemic head-on and ensure that individuals in recovery have the resources they need to rebuild their lives.”

“People in recovery from SUD have a difficult enough time without having to navigate roadblocks to one of their most basic needs, housing,” said Don Keister, President and Founder, atTAcK addiction.

A one-pager on the bill is available here. The text of the bill is available here.

The legislation is endorsed by the National Rural Health Association, Bipartisan Policy Center Action, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, and the National Alliance of Recovery Residences. Delaware-based organizations Impact Life and atTAcK addiction also endorsed the bill.

Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.