HOUSE RULES

Here at the DovesNest, we have some rules. Each one is designed to teach accountability, responsibility and other skills needed to succeed both in recovery and in everyday life. We expect everyone to follow these same rules and there will be no favoritism or exceptions. Following these rules will build a trusting and established relationship with everyone involved, from your housemates to the owner himself.

Meeting Guidelines

  • You will arrive 30 minutes early to all meetings.
  • You will not leave the meeting early for any reason.
  • If your work schedule does not allow you to attend meetings at night, your mandatory daily meeting is the Eye Opener.
  • If you are caught using your phone for any reason during a meeting your phone will be confiscated. Keep your phone in your pocket for the duration of the meeting.
  • Non-residents are not allowed to pick up any residents for any reason during your first 90 days in the house. This excludes your sponsor.
  • All residents will attend all scheduled meetings, including house meetings.
  • All residents will get a Home Group within their first 7 days and secure a service position in the home group. We want you involved in service ASAP
  • All residents will get a sponsor within their first 7 days. No exceptions.
  • After 4 months of continuous sobriety you may change two of the mandatory meetings weekly, excluding the meeting Tuesday night.

Curfew Overview

Under 4 Months

Curfew will be 10pm Sunday-Thursday and 11pm Friday-Saturday if you have been a resident of the house for less than 4 consecutive months.

4 Months or More

Curfew will be 11pm Sunday-Thursday and 12am Friday-Saturday if you have been a resident for 4 or more consecutive months.

All residents will be expected to keep their Senior Resident notified of their comings and goings through text messages when leaving and arriving at any locations.

House Rules

  • No use of Alcohol or drugs. You will inform your Senior Resident of any Doctor Prescribed medications that you are on and you will take them only as prescribed. Absolutely no self-medicating or adjustment of meds without doctor approval
  • All residents will submit to random drug and breathalyzer tests. Failure to submit will result in automatic expulsion from the house.
  • You must attend all mandatory meetings.
  • You must call your sponsor daily.
  • No stealing. Zero tolerance.
  • No borrowing of any money from other residents.
  • No verbal or physical abuse of other residents; threatening, intimidation, bullying. You will treat your fellow residents and neighbors with the utmost respect.
  • No weapons: including guns, knives, bows, etc.
  • No lying. If you can’t be honest with us, how can you be honest with yourself?
  • If you damage or lose any property you will be financially responsible to fix or replace said property.
  • No women in the house.
  • Curfew. If, for some reason you will be late you need to contact your Senior Resident before you are late. Missing Curfew will result in restriction.
    • Sunday-Thursday 10pm
    • Friday, Saturday 11pm
  • Curfew extensions – if you want to stay out past your curfew, you must contact Hugh in advance, not 5 minutes before the deadline.
  • Residents with 3 months of continuous sobriety may request an overnight pass 72 hours in advance. All requests the day of will be denied and approval of previously submitted requests is at Hugh’s discretion.
  • When leaving the house you will text your Senior Resident where you are going and when you will be back. The correct way is to text when leaving, text when you arrive at your destination, text when leaving your destination and text when you arrive home/at your next destination.
  • Until authorized, you may not transport non-residents in your car.
  • Until authorized you may not be picked up and transported by non-residents. The only exception is your sponsor/boss/supervisor.
  • No guests after 9pm. Your sponsor is not a guest, he may come at any time.
  • No guests in the bedrooms, common areas only.
  • Assigned daily chores must be done daily. Weekly chores will start at 3pm on Sunday. Monthly deep cleaning or spot painting will be done when assigned.
  • No eating or storage of food in the bedrooms.
  • No smoking in the front of the house or in the front yard.
  • Pool area – no diving in the pool. No physical horseplay with other residents.
  • On weekdays, TVs and lights will be turned off in the bedrooms at 10pm if requested. You will also lower your voice at this time.
  • Outside of the house the use of profanity or vulgar language will not be tolerated. Do not yell. No loud music. We have neighbors and they have the right to a quiet environment in their home.
  • Do not dispose of cigarette butts on the ground. Always use the ashtrays.
  • Keep all areas of the house, yard and bedrooms clean, neat and clutter free at all times. If the Senior Resident or owner asks you to clean something up do it.
  • Beds must be properly made at all times (tight) including a fitted sheet and flat sheet or blanket.
  • Your room and bed will remain clutter free at all times Failure to follow will result in finding your area much messier than the way you left it. Closets will be kept neat with dirty clothes in the laundry basket. Drawers kept neat with clothes folded. Trash cans in the living quarters will be emptied daily.
  • Daily Hygiene – You must brush your teeth, comb your hair and shower daily.The use of deodorant is mandatory. NO BODY ODOR.
  • If you are dirty from work, do not sit down on furniture or beds. Shower and change into clean clothes.
  • Turn off all electrical appliances when not in use.
  • If the electric bill exceeds the allowance, residents will be required to pay their proportional share of it.
  • Residents must wash dishes and clean up kitchen and eating areas immediately after use. NO exceptions.
  • If a resident is asked to leave the house for any reason, personal property will be removed within 24 hours. We are no longer responsible for your property after that time.
  • Failure to submit to drug/alcohol screening in a reasonable amount of time will result in immediate removal from the house.
  • All residents will be on the buddy system until you have earned our trust. No exceptions. The amount of time you are on the buddy system depends on the Senior Resident’s recommendation to the owner. Only Hugh can authorize you to get off of the buddy system, so don’t ask. If you are in arrears for rent or expenses, you will not be removed from the buddy system until your financial obligations are satisfied.
  • Unemployed residents will go to the labor hall on a daily basis. Wear work clothes and footwear appropriate for performing manual labor. If you are not picked to go out that day, you immediately will go out and begin searching for a job. Have clothing acceptable for an interview in your backpack to change into, you may not go back to the house to change. Residents will not be allowed back into the house until 3pm. If unemployed and at the house after 3pm, you will be expected to be searching for jobs online and logging those applied for in a job search log. NO SLEEPING.
  • If you are too sick to work, then you are too sick to have free time. You will stay in bed for the day. Reasons for not going to work would be fever, diarrhea, vomiting, blood. You must inform your Senior Resident immediately when you wake up. Missing work for two continuous days will result in you going to urgent care or the ER. You will be responsible for any financial obligations incurred as the result of healthcare.
  • If someone is waiting to use the house phone, the limit of your call will be 10 minutes.
  • Laundry must be done weekly. You will have an assigned laundry day(s). Sheets will also be washed on this day.
  • From time to time you may be asked to do volunteer work. Refusal is not an option.
  • You will have assigned refrigerator and dry storage space. Put your food in it’s proper place. Anyone caught eating food that does not belong to them will be put on restriction. Multiple offenses will result in expulsion from your house.
  • You may eat anything in the community food storage, but it is not a supermarket. Place leftover food there to share with others and once you are established, give back.
  • Any oral directive from a Senior Resident becomes a rule. Anything you are asked to do will be done immediately. No exceptions. If you want to debate something, you may, but know that you will be on restriction after the conversation. If you do not perform the task requested of you immediately, you will also be on restriction.
  • Work schedules need to be filled out prior to the house meeting on Sunday afternoon.
  • Rent will be paid on Fridays between 4 and 7 pm. This is mandatory.
  • Your sponsor may pick you up to meet with you in lieu of one mandatory meeting per week. Curfew will still apply.
  • Anyone who is not able to keep current with their rent will be on the buddy system. Major lapses in payment of rent will result in being placed on restriction and/or expulsion from the house.
  • Respect everyone’s recovery process. Be careful not to discourage others.
  • Keep your daily attitude positive. Be thankful and appreciative. If you are dissatisfied with the houses and constantly talk about leaving, we will ask you to leave.
  • If you see anyone extremely troubled or know of anything that needs to be addressed, please notify the staff. We’re all in this together. Help your brothers succeed.