It’s no secret that housing costs have skyrocketed. Many in the U.S. have been hit with housing insecurity, but the homeless population has been hit even harder. Since 2020, homelessness has risen 33%,1 and the rising costs also make it harder for the unhoused to escape this condition.
Anyone interested in combating homelessness also notices that it’s strongly correlated with mental illness and substance use. A vicious cycle exists: mental health and substance use issues can lead to homelessness, and homelessness makes treatment much more difficult. Rather than treat these issues separately, there is now a consensus among experts that a holistic approach is needed. Interventions must be “Housing-First,” where housing is secured first, which then provides the stable ground to treat deeper behavioral health needs.
At the forefront of innovation, MaineHousing is sponsoring a Housing-First project, called “Home for Good,” with a team that consists of the City of Auburn, Auburn Housing, the Developers Collaborative, and Spurwink. Spurwink will provide 24/7 mental health and substance use services for a new building complex in Auburn, which will house 20-30 long-term homeless individuals. The inaugural cohort will include four other sites: Sanford, Portland, Augusta, and Bangor.
These sites will go a long way in addressing long-term homelessness in Maine. Traditionally, the model used has been “Treatment-First,” which required individuals to be substance-free before receiving housing.3 However, the logic doesn’t add up. Human needs are arranged in a hierarchy, and basic material needs must be met before other needs can be addressed.4 Data support the Housing-First approach, as well. A review of 26 studies found that, compared to Treatment-First, Housing-First decreased homelessness by 88% and improved housing stability by 41%.3
In 2023, Spurwink formed Ashlea’s Place, a Housing-First site in Portland, in partnership with Community Housing of Maine and Milestone Recovery. Spurwink will draw heavily from this experience for the new site in Auburn. Spurwink is extremely thankful for MaineHousing’s generous support and proud to partner with the builders, property managers, and other nonprofits who comprise the Home for Good project.
References
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2024). The 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress.
- Bradley, J. & McLaughlin, T.C. (2024). Interviews with individuals experiencing homelessness while living outdoors. Greater Portland Peer Services.
- Peng, Y., Hahn, R. A., Finnie, R. K. C., Cobb, J., Williams, S. P., Fielding, J. E., Johnson, R. L., Montgomery, A. E., Schwartz, A. F., Muntaner, C., Garrison, V. H., Jean-Francois, B., Truman, B. I., Fullilove, M. T., & Community Preventive Services Task Force (2020). Permanent supportive housing with housing first to reduce homelessness and promote health among homeless populations with disability: A community guide systematic review. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 26(5), 404–411. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000001219
- Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https:// https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346
