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
Dozens of people, including advocates, formerly unhoused people and social services providers, urged state lawmakers Friday to continue a program meant to help low-income renters stay in their homes.
The Quality Housing Coalition (QHC) proudly announces its Executive Director, Victoria Morales, has been honored with the Maine Association for Public Interest Law's (MAPIL) Excellence in Public Service Award. Presented annually by MAPIL in collaboration with the Maine Justice Foundation, the Maine Trial Lawyers Association, and the University of Maine School of Law, the award recognizes individuals who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to public interest law and service to vulnerable populations in Maine. Victoria Morales, who leads QHC in its mission to prevent homelessness and ensure housing stability for low-income individuals and families in Maine, has been at the forefront of addressing the state’s affordable housing crisis. Under her leadership, QHC has provided stable housing to more than 1,200 households and 3,000 individuals through initiatives like Project HOME, a program that partners with landlords to house and stabilize families and individuals in crisis. Before joining QHC, Morales served in the Maine House of Representatives focusing primarily on policies that remove barriers to access to opportunities for low-income people, including housing and criminal justice reform. As an attorney, she has long advocated for low-income Mainers trapped in crisis systems. Her leadership at QHC reflects this deep commitment to justice and equity. “MAPIL could not have selected a better recipient of the Excellence in Service Award than Victoria,” said Neil J. Kiely, CEO of Androscoggin Bank. “She is a dynamic, innovative, and compassionate leader with a long track record not only of public service but serving as a truly effective change agent. She contributes at every level, from positively shifting the arc of individual lives to strategically advocating for system change. Maine is fortunate to count her as one of our own.” "I am deeply honored to receive this award," said Victoria Morales. "It is a reflection not just of my own efforts, but of the critical collective work being done by the team at the Quality Housing Coalition, our partners, and countless advocates across Maine. Ensuring everyone has access to safe, stable housing is fundamental—and I’m proud to stand with those working every day to make that a reality for all Mainers." This recognition highlights the essential link between legal advocacy, public policy, and direct action in addressing complex challenges like housing insecurity. About Quality Housing Coalition (QHC): The Quality Housing Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving housing stability and quality of life for low-income adults and children in Maine. QHC provides resources, direct assistance, and advocacy to address immediate housing crises and promote systemic change for long-term housing security. Learn more at qualityhousingcoalition.org. About MAPIL: The Maine Association for Public Interest Law (MAPIL) is a student organization at the University of Maine School of Law dedicated to promoting careers in public interest law and supporting students pursuing these vital paths.
The Maine Association for Public Interest Law (MAPIL) auction is a time honored Maine Law tradition, one that has been going strong for 37 years. An integral part of this tradition is also the presentation of the Excellence in Public Service Award, conferred to a Maine Law alum who has dedicated their career to lawyering in the public interest. This year’s recipient, Victoria Morales ‘05, currently serves as Executive Director of Quality Housing Coalition, a Maine-based nonprofit devoted to tackling the many facets of the affordable housing crisis in the state
For the last four years, the authority has been circulating 17 housing vouchers for young people aging out of foster care. Now they are getting an additional 13.
