Admissions & cost
Two things almost no sober living will tell you upfront: there’s no security deposit at Kokoro, and every placement is discussed person-to-person — because some guests pay privately while others are funded through nonprofit organizations, government programs or referral partners. One conversation gets you a straight number for your situation.
Cost & placement
No deposit. No surprises. One conversation.
$0 to hold a bed
We don’t require a security deposit. Moving into recovery housing is hard enough without finding an extra month’s rent first.
Private pay & funded placements
Some guests pay privately. Others come through nonprofit organizations, government-funded programs or referral partners. We work with all of it.
One call, your answer
Tell us the situation and the funding picture, and you’ll leave the call with the exact figure and everything it includes — in writing before you commit.
Included in the rate
- A full-size bed, your own dresser and dedicated closet space
- All utilities, wifi and laundry
- Random drug and alcohol testing
- Access to workstations, common areas and outdoor space
- House manager support and the monthly community meeting
- Food? Transport? Confirm and list
Not included
- Groceries and personal items confirm
- Any outpatient, therapy or medical care — that’s billed by your own provider
- Medication and prescriptions
- Transport beyond the initial move-in confirm
Move-in
| Security deposit | None. We don’t require one. |
|---|---|
| The interview | Every prospective guest meets with our team before move-in — see the process below. |
| The agreement | Every guest reviews and signs the guest agreement — expectations, responsibilities and house rules — before admission. Clear from the beginning, in writing. |
| Payment schedule | Weekly / monthly, due date |
Want the market context? What sober living actually costs in the San Fernando Valley in 2026 — every tier, move-in costs, and how our rates compare.
Insurance
The honest answer.
Health insurance almost never pays rent at a sober living home. A recovery residence is housing, not medical treatment, and that is exactly why we don’t need a licence to operate one — the same fact that makes us affordable is what puts us outside the benefit.
What insurance frequently does cover is the outpatient or IOP care someone attends while they live here. That is usually the more useful thing to verify, and it’s the piece that costs real money.
How families typically make it work: private pay from the guest’s own income once they’re working, family contribution for the first stretch, or a split between the two with a step-down as employment starts. If money is the obstacle, say so on the call — sometimes there’s a version of this that works and sometimes there honestly isn’t, and you should know which within one conversation.
Do you offer any scholarship, sliding scale or work-exchange? If so, say so here — almost nobody does, and it is worth stating.
The process
Moving in.
Usually one to three days from first call. Same-day is possible when there’s a bed and the fit is clear.
A phone call, then an interview
First a call — fifteen or twenty minutes with a person, not a script. Then every prospective guest meets with our team: we get to know them, they get to know us, questions run both directions, and the house expectations are on the table before anyone commits to anything.
A tour
In person or by 360° walkthrough. Free, about twenty minutes, bring whoever you want. Referring professionals are welcome any time without an appointment.
The guest agreement
Expectations, responsibilities and house rules, reviewed together and signed before admission. No security deposit — the agreement and first payment are the whole move-in.
Move-in day
Room assignment, house walkthrough, intake screen, prescription documentation, phone numbers, and introductions to the people you’ll be living with. Transport from a treatment centre can usually be arranged. Confirm
The first week
A settling-in period with tighter structure and no work expectation, so the first days are about landing rather than performing.
Fit
Who we’re not right for.
We would rather tell you in one phone call than take a deposit and find out in a week. Kokoro is probably not the right place if someone is:
- Still in active withdrawal. Detox comes first. We can help you find one today.
- Initiating or titrating MAT. We’re built for people who are stable on their medication, not for the unstable first weeks — that needs staff oversight we don’t provide.
- In acute psychiatric crisis, or needing daily clinical monitoring. We are housing with peer support, not a clinical setting.
- Needing significant mobility or personal-care assistance. Confirm accessibility of each house
- Unwilling to test. Not negotiable, and better established now than later.
- Any offence categories you cannot accept — state them plainly. Referrers strongly prefer explicit exclusions.
If any of that describes your situation, call anyway. We know this valley well and we will point you at somewhere better rather than take your money.
Move-in checklist
What to bring.
Bring
- Photo ID and insurance card if you have one
- All prescriptions in the original labelled bottles, plus prescriber contact details
- Two weeks of clothes — laundry is on site
- Toiletries and any personal medication supplies
- Phone and charger, laptop if you have one
- Work clothes or boots if you have a job lined up
- Court, probation or discharge paperwork if relevant
Leave at home
- Alcohol, and anything intoxicating including mouthwash and cooking wine
- Non-prescribed medication, including anything prescribed to someone else
- Weapons of any kind
- Kratom, kava, delta-8, nitrous and similar
- Large furniture — beds, dressers and desks are here
- Pets are considered case by case, including service animals — raise it in the interview and we’ll work out what’s possible rather than defaulting to no.