Our Story

In 2013, after the death of a homeless individual due to hypothermia, several individuals, including clergy, focused their attention to the plight of the unsheltered on Martha’s Vineyard. The Island was dealing with an increasingly serious rental housing crisis that limited the housing options for local residents. Those with limited incomes, disabilities or substance abuse issues were most at risk of homelessness.

The Clergy Homeless Task Force was formed and met for a period of two years. It engaged clergy, mental health providers, a civil rights advocate, a homeless Vets representative, and volunteers. The group sponsored a successful fund raiser and the blue print for Hospitality Homes, a 3-month winter shelter was piloted in January 2016.

The County Manager arranged for a critical research study (2015) by the Rural Scholars of the University of Massachusetts that focused on Homelessness on Martha’s Vineyard. This report documented the depth of the affordable housing crisis and the resulting increase in the number of residents at risk of homelessness. Concurrently, the County Manager, Health Care Access and Vineyard Housing Office identified the critical need for funding case management services. The Associate Commissioner for the Homeless was responding to those in crisis in her volunteer capacity. She was subsequently replaced by a part-time housing counselor funded by the state and employed by Housing Assistance Corporation.

Houses of Grace, the Island’s winter shelter, operated from January through March of 2017 and was supplemented by a weekday Warming Center that was staffed with volunteers. The Island now had two years of experience in assessing and addressing the needs of unsheltered men and women and clearly understood the importance of opening Harbor Homes as a year-round permanent supportive housing opportunity for its most vulnerable residents. The Martha’s Vineyard Network on Homeless Prevention, which includes Island clergy, the County Manager, housing advocates, business leaders, and volunteers, is committed to providing all residents a safe, secure and sanitary place to live as well as the supports and life skills to function productively in the community.

Harbor Homes will offer housing in a congregate setting. These houses will be operated as educational facilities that offer a life skills curriculum for low income individuals. Each facility will provide a combination of affordable housing and support services to help individuals transition to more stable and productive lives and maintain successful residencies. Program participants will reside in single rooms (SRO) and have access to kitchen and bath facilities. Program participants will be required to help with program costs and contribute to the maintenance of the facility.