The Aloha Inn

A co-ed sober living facility, The Aloha Inn was established in 1990. Located in Seattle, Washington, the center offers transitional housing facilities for childless clients recovering from substance abuse.

A peer-run facility, The Aloha Inn provides rooms for staying, but requires the clients to work, and pay a small amount as a housing fee. Additionally, they have to save money to find permanent housing.

Clients at this facility practice daily life skills, attend the 12-step meetings and take part in substance addiction classes. Additional social services are also provided to them.

Accommodations

The Aloha Inn operates from an old hotel. The facility accommodates around 66 clients (men and women). They stay in gender-segregated double-occupancy rooms. The rooms are furnished with dressers, twin beds, nightstands, and lamps. Each room comes with its private bathroom as well as a local landline phone. Depending on seniority and availability, some residents are provided single-occupancy rooms.

Some of the amenities offered by Aloha Inn include cable TV, snacks, ample coffee, and bus tickets. The Aloha Inn also operates a computer lab.

Food

Residents are served three meals a day. The meals are prepared by a kitchen staff comprising of the residents. The dinner entrée includes garlic bread, pasta, and tomato sauce. Residents are provided full breakfast on Sundays. Bagged lunches are provided to working residents.

Rules and Regulations

Potential clients need to apply in person. The Aloha Inn takes applications from 10 to noon on Wednesdays and 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursdays in downtown Seattle. Applicants need to call ahead and seek details about the current location where the applications are accepted.

Applications of potential clients are screened by a screening committee (residents). Only those applicants who are interviewed and approved by this committee are allowed admission. While the length of stay varies, the maximum one can live here is around two years.

The Aloha Inn is run democratically by the peers. Besides screening committee, there is also an executive committee, which comprises of five senior residents who act as the house managers. The day-to-day running of the house is overseen by the executive committee.

The screening committee determines the number of meetings a resident will be required to attend every week. It is the responsibility of the screening committee to see that the clients stay on track during their recovery.

Residents are required to attend weekly general assembly meetings, participate in the 12-step sessions, and pay rent on time. Residents can air their issues and find a solution during these weekly general assembly meetings.

Residents also have to volunteer 15 hours a week in areas like security, the grounds, front desk, housekeeping, and the kitchen. The executive committee assists residents in handling funds that come from disability, work, or any other source. These funds are put into a bank account as savings for future permanent housing.

Random alcohol and drug screenings are regularly conducted. Those who relapse are evicted from the house. The rent for the first two weeks is around $10 as rent. After two weeks, this increases to approximately $25. Disabled clients need to pay only half the amount during the first two weeks, but have to pay $25 after the two weeks.

In Addition

Residents are offered medical care on Sundays by the University of Washington’s pre-med students. The Aloha Inn also provides other services like eye exams, basic dental, glasses, vocational assistance, job referrals, as well as on-site alcohol and drug education classes. Off-site individual sessions are also offered to the residents.

Cost

Approximately $65-$75 (30 days).