Rockford City Council denies recovery housing expansion

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Drug and alcohol recovery housing hopes to expand how many people can live in the several group homes operating across Rockford but some neighbors don’t agree.

There are five Oxford Homes in Rockford neighborhoods throughout the city. They’re self-supporting, drug free homes people who are in addiction recovery can live in.

All five Oxford Houses in Rockford wanted to increase the maximum number of residents allowed to live in their facilities. One of the houses wanted to increase from six residents to nine.

One person who lives in the area says though they haven’t had a problem with anyone living there currently, he says allowing more people to live there is not a good idea because random combinations of people living together can create a disaster.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, I think that would just cut into their own living space, no private space for them and all, and I just remember my college days a long time ago,” he said. “If we had nine people in the same house, we would’ve had a lot of troubles.”

23 News did try to contact Oxford Housing for comment but they did not respond. We also reached out the Rockford’s legal director and he did not wish to comment.

With a unanimous vote, Rockford City Council passed the ordinance to deny maximum residency increases in the local Oxford Homes.

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