Quality Housing Coalition's Basic Income Program Transforms Lives of Single Mothers in Maine
September 10, 2024
Year-Long Pilot Shows Significant Improvements in Financial Stability and Well-Being
PORTLAND, Maine, September 10, 2024 - The Quality Housing Coalition (QHC) today announced the success of its Project HOME Trust Basic Income Pilot Program, which has significantly improved the lives of 20 low-income single mothers and 33 children in Maine over the past year.
From June 2023 to May 2024, the program provided monthly direct cash payments of $1,000 to twenty single mothers who had previously experienced homelessness. The results demonstrate substantial positive outcomes in financial stability, mental health, and overall life satisfaction for both mothers and children.
Key findings from the pilot program include:
- 53% of participants reported being financially stable, up from just 5% at the start of the program
- 42% felt they could handle a $400 emergency expense, compared to only 5% initially
- The average life satisfaction rating increased from 6.3 to 7.9 out of 10
- 95% of participants felt optimistic about their financial future
- 89% of children were reported as being "very happy," up from 47%
- 95% of mothers have maintained their housing throughout the program
One program participant said, "It helped to reduce my worry for meeting my daily bills and I started planning more for my family's future. I started putting some of my salary towards my kid's college fund after my basic bills were met."
"These results show how guaranteed monthly income and social support services improve the lives of low-income mothers and their children in deeply meaningful ways," said Victoria Morales, Executive Director of the Quality Housing Coalition. "When mothers have stable housing and financial security, their mental health improves, and that improvement transfers to their children."
The Project HOME Trust program focuses on helping participants overcome the "Benefits Cliff," the challenging period when a slight increase in earnings results in a greater loss of necessary social assistance benefits. By providing unconditional cash payments, the program offers crucial support to mothers facing challenges securing sufficient employment due to inadequate wages and high childcare expenses.
Peace Mutesi, the Project HOME Trust Manager and a former Project HOME mother who has experienced homelessness added, "As a single mother who has lived through the same stressors and barriers these mothers are facing, I'm so proud to see how these families are flourishing now."
On September 10, 2024, QHC is hosting the Project HOME Trust: Film Premiere and Panel Presentation to celebrate the successes of Maine’s first direct cash assistance program. At the event, QHC will share the pilot program results and showcase a film featuring participant stories. Sara Gideon, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, will moderate a panel discussion.
The success of this pilot program demonstrates the potential for basic income initiatives to create lasting positive change in communities. The Quality Housing Coalition hopes these results will inspire similar programs nationwide, addressing poverty and homelessness through direct financial support and comprehensive social services.
About Quality Housing Coalition
The Quality Housing Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving housing stability and quality of life for low-income families in Maine. Through innovative programs like Project HOME Trust, QHC works to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness by providing direct support and advocating for systemic change. Learn more at qualityhousingcoalition.org.
Media Contact
Victoria Morales
Executive Director
victoria@qualityhousingcoalition.org
(207) 216-0643
Published by Maine Public | by Nicole Ogrysko
Published by Portland Press Herald by Hannah LaClaire
Chip Curry is a state senator representing District 11 and serves as co-chair of the Legislature’s Committee on Housing and Economic Development. Victoria Morales is the executive director of Project Home, a Maine nonprofit working to expand housing stability and prevent homelessness. Maine is currently facing a housing crisis that threatens the very fabric of our communities. While there is a consensus that we must build the 84,000 units of housing needed to stabilize our market, that process is estimated to take 20–30 years. Maine families, seniors, and children living on the brink of displacement cannot wait two decades for a roof over their heads. To prevent a catastrophic surge in homelessness today, Maine must continue to fund and prioritize the Eviction Prevention Program (EPP), a statewide initiative that helps renters avoid eviction and remain stably housed.
Peace Mutesi, Director of Economic Opportunity at Quality Housing Coalition, has been named to Mainebiz's 2025 40 Under 40 list. Now in its fourth year, the program recognizes Maine's up-and-coming leaders—the next generation shaping the state and its economy.
