This is the one region where Blackburn is actually located. Our sober living homes for men are in Venice, Mar Vista, Cheviot Hills and Mid City, and our sober apartments are in West Los Angeles. If you already live, work or study on the Westside, this page is about staying here while you build your recovery, not about moving across the county.
For the apartments, schedule an apartment tour.
Our Westside neighborhoods
Each of our sober living homes has its own neighborhood page with more about the area around it:
- Sober living in Venice: near the beach, about 2 miles from Mar Vista by road (an approximate figure from our county area data).
- Sober living in Mar Vista: a residential neighborhood of about 39,700 people on Venice Boulevard (LA County Countywide Statistical Area table, 2020).
- Sober living in Cheviot Hills: a quiet pocket of about 9,600 residents near the E Line corridor (LA County Countywide Statistical Area table, 2020).
- Sober living in Mid City: the most central of the four, roughly 8 miles from Mar Vista, which makes it a good fit for men whose work or family is further east.
The sober apartments for men in West Los Angeles sit within the same area. We share the exact location on the call and during a visit, not on the website.
Westside facts worth knowing
The Westside is not one city. It is a patchwork of independent cities, City of Los Angeles neighborhoods and unincorporated pockets, all within a few miles of each other.
- Santa Monica, its own city, had about 89,900 residents in the July 2023 estimate (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Culver City had about 39,000 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Westwood counted about 57,300 people and West Los Angeles about 37,700 in the county’s 2020 neighborhood figures (LA County Countywide Statistical Area table).
- Marina del Rey, an unincorporated community, had about 10,300 residents (Census Bureau 2022 estimate via LA Almanac).
Distances are short. Using approximate road miles from Mar Vista, Culver City, Palms, Marina del Rey and Playa Vista are about 3 miles away, Santa Monica, Westwood, Brentwood and Westchester about 5, Beverly Hills about 7, Pacific Palisades about 8 and West Hollywood about 9. These are estimates, so check a map for your exact trip.
Getting around without a car
Plenty of our residents do not drive in early recovery, and on the Westside that is workable.
- Metro E Line. The Westside stations are Expo/Bundy, Expo/Sepulveda, Westwood/Rancho Park, Palms and Culver City, and the line ends in Downtown Santa Monica (Los Angeles Metro). It also runs east to Downtown and East Los Angeles for anyone whose family is that way.
- Metro 33. Runs 24 hours along Venice Boulevard between Downtown LA and Venice and Santa Monica, stopping in Mar Vista and Culver City (Los Angeles Metro).
- Metro 720 and 20. Wilshire Boulevard service between Santa Monica and Downtown LA, through Beverly Hills.
- Metro 761. Comes south over the Sepulveda Pass from the Valley to Westwood and West LA, every 15 minutes at weekday peak.
- Metro 602 and 108. The 602 runs along Sunset Boulevard between Pacific Palisades and Westwood; the 108 runs along Slauson Avenue to Marina del Rey.
- Metro K Line. Serves Westchester and LAX, connecting to the E Line at Expo/Crenshaw.
Many men also bike. For a fuller picture of meetings and resources nearby, see our West LA meeting guide.
Why men already on the Westside stay on the Westside
When you already have a job in Santa Monica or classes in Westwood, the best sober housing is usually the one that keeps your commute short and your routine intact. Moving across the county to get sober can mean giving up the job that is holding your week together. Staying close keeps the parts of your life that are working.
There is also the step down. Many men spend time in one of our homes, then move into the apartments a few miles away without changing jobs, home groups or sponsors. Nothing about their week has to start over except the level of structure.
And some men leave a treatment program on the Westside and want to stay in the same area, near their outpatient team and the meetings they started going to. We hear this one often.
Which fits you?
If you are new to recovery, just out of treatment, or coming off a relapse, sober living is usually the safer start: drug testing 3 times a week, daily alcohol testing, medication management systems, and weekly updates to families, providers and treatment teams. Residents can work full time and attend local colleges. Sober living tours are available in person or virtually.
If you have time behind you, a steady routine and a support network already in place, the apartments may fit better: fully furnished, month to month, utilities and WiFi included, with weekly random drug and alcohol testing and no curfew. They are open to anyone who qualifies. Schedule an apartment tour, or call or text (888) 305-5422.
For Westside families and clinicians
Because everything is close, Westside families can visit easily and treatment teams can keep seeing a client without a long commute in between. Sober living residents’ families and providers receive weekly updates. Families can also join our free virtual family support group every other Tuesday, 6 to 7 PM Pacific, led by a licensed therapist from Blackburn Clinical Services. More on our families page and our page for treatment professionals.
If you need county help instead, the Substance Abuse Service Helpline is 1-800-854-7771, option 2 (LA County Substance Abuse Prevention and Control).
Questions from Westside residents
Can I keep my Westside job while living in a Blackburn home?
Yes. Sober living residents can work full time, and with the homes in Venice, Mar Vista, Cheviot Hills and Mid City, most Westside jobs are a short bus, train or bike ride away.
Are the sober apartments near the sober living homes?
Yes. The apartments are in West Los Angeles, the same part of town. We share the exact location on the phone and when you visit.
I live in Santa Monica. Is that close enough to keep my home group?
For most men, yes. Santa Monica is roughly 5 miles from Mar Vista, and the E Line, Metro 33 and Big Blue Bus all connect the two.
Can I move from another Westside sober living into the apartments?
Yes. The apartments are not limited to Blackburn residents. If you are finishing up at any sober living home and ready for independent living, call us.
Nearby places
Santa Monica, Culver City, Palms, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Marina del Rey, Playa Vista, Westchester and Pacific Palisades. Neighboring regions: Malibu and the coast, South Bay and Downtown and Central LA. Back to all areas in Los Angeles County.
For the apartments, schedule an apartment tour.