Latah Recovery Center closes on ‘Oxford house’ property

The Latah Recovery Center officially closed on a property in northeast Moscow on Tuesday that will serve as the city’s first “Oxford house” — a type of sober group living.

The property, sold for $450,000, is located on Bitterroot street near the Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center and will house seven residents. Recovery center director Darrell Keim says he hopes to have residents in the house by July.

“We’re very excited to move forward with the project, and very excited to be good neighbors,” he said.

On June 6, the recovery center board will also return the Moscow City Council to request an additional $200,000 in funding for the house.

The board first approached the council April 4, but the decision was tabled because of a $25,000 limit on grants to nonprofits. That language has since been revised.

“We’re sticking with that proposal,” Keim said. “When the county (commissioners) agreed to give us $200,000, they challenged us to try and get the city to match that.”

The funds from the city, if approved, would come from the American Rescue Plan Act.

“ARPA intent language specifically mentions funding recovery efforts,” the center wrote in a Wednesday update to its mailing list. “We have asked them to help us fund this facility with some of those dollars. If you have an opinion — for or against — please consider letting the council know.”