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 2025 would reauthorize the Recovery Housing Program (RHP), first enacted as part of the SUPPORT Act of 2018. The RHP provides funding to states to acquire, build, or rehabilitate transitional housing for those in recovery from substance abuse. The program has successfully grown our national recovery housing network and empowered more Americans to reclaim their lives through supportive services. The RHP’s authorization expired in 2023. The Safe SHORES Act was originally introduced last year. 

“For Americans traveling the road of recovery, safe and secure housing can be the difference between success and relapse,” said Senator Coons. “The Safe SHORES Act will strengthen a crucial program in the fight against the opioid epidemic and ensure that more Americans recovering from addiction can focus on recovery instead of where they’ll sleep tonight. I’m proud to work on this bill with Senator Capito. It will save lives and protect families across the country.”

“Access to safe and secure housing is crucial for those on the path to recovery, and we’ve seen this firsthand in West Virginia. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Safe SHORES Act, which will give state recovery housing programs the resources they need to continue their life-saving work,” said Senator Capito.

The Safe SHORES Act of 2025 will extend, expand, and improve the RHP to serve more Americans. Specifically, the bill would:

  • Increase authorized funding to at least $50 million per year
  • Give states and grantees increased flexibility to distribute funds as they need and allow grantees to cover last mile costs
  • Encourage states to award grants to facilities that participate in best practices that meet state standards of accreditation, have robust workforce development and emotional support programs, and encourage assistance to grantees navigating complex local zoning and administrative requirements
  • Require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 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 2022, more than 76% of the nearly 108,000 drug overdose deaths involved opioids. In Delaware, more than 500 individuals died from an accidental overdose and more than 140,000 Delaware adults are living with a substance use disorder.

The legislation is endorsed by the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, National Alliance for Recovery Residences, National Rural Health Association, and the Bipartisan Policy Center Action. 

“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.”

“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.

Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

A one-pager on the bill is available here.

The text of the bill is available here.