Housing and Hope
for Islanders in Need
Photo by Maria Thibodeau
Harbor Homes of Martha’s Vineyard is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers solutions to prevent homelessness on the Island. This includes congregate housing, transitional housing support, a winter shelter, a hotel respite program, and case management. Harbor Homes provides TIMELY, compassionate, and empowering support to low-income individuals and families who face homelessness.
New York Ave. House in Oak Bluffs
Harbor Homes purchased its second congregate house for low-income Islanders and opened the residence in November 2021. The facility provides single rooms with adjoining bathrooms, a communal kitchen, and common space for 6 women. Harbor Homes’ offices are located here and a homeless prevention case worker is available to meet with individuals and families who have a housing crisis at this location.
Vision
Our vision is to establish a continuum of housing opportunities and support services for individuals and families facing homelessness that support their health and wellness and promote inclusivity, dignity and diversity. We partner with community agencies to expand programming, share resources, and help to eliminate the structural causes of homelessness. We build a stable funding base to ensure the future of services as we work to make homelessness on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard rare, brief, and non-recurring.
Mission
The mission of Harbor Homes of Martha’s Vineyard is to ensure that low-income residents, who are homeless or facing homelessness, have access to safe, sanitary and secure housing so they can participate as healthy and productive citizens. We do this by providing housing options, overnight shelter, referral and support services, life skills education, and advocacy for collaborative, locally driven solutions for individuals and families.
May hope touch each homeless heart, spirit
and life.
Let the kindness of others bring lasting benefits.
Too Poor for Affordable Housing
“While housing efforts on the Vineyard have focused on the very real needs of residents with incomes between 30% and 150% of the HUD Median Family Income (MFI) for Dukes County, individuals and families with incomes below years 30% of MFI are generally not able to access these opportunities. Many of these individuals have lived and worked on the Island for many years before finding themselves on lower fixed incomes or on waitlists that are years long for options such as Island Elderly Housing. Harbor Homes seeks to add an important, supportive housing option to address the needs of Vineyard residents who do not have the income or subsidy to afford our ‘affordable’ rentals.”
David Vigneault, Executive Director, Dukes County Regional Housing Authority
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Photo by Maria Thibodeau
