ELBERTA — A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, April 17, marked the official opening of the first home in Mary's Village, a new transitional housing initiative designed to lead homeless mothers from instability to homeownership.

Hosted by Mary's Shelter, a program serving homeless pregnant women and their children, the event celebrated what organizers describe as a long-term solution to rising housing costs in Baldwin County.

Executive Director Kay Trattles said the project builds on the organization's existing residential program, Mary's Haven, which provides structured support for mothers over a 15-month period.

"During their 15-month stay, our moms receive pre- and post-natal care, participate in life skill classes five days per week, attend parenting classes, earn their GED, secure full-time employment, purchase a vehicle and escrow $10,000-$15,000," Trattles said.

Despite those gains, many graduates still struggle to secure stable housing due to rising rent prices. According to organizers, average rent in Baldwin County reached approximately $1,860 per month in 2025, nearly doubling over the past five years.

"With wages in no way keeping up with the increased cost of rent in Baldwin County, many of our graduates cannot afford to live independently," Trattles said. "They are then put in a position to rely on either other people to live with or on government housing assistance, thus continuing the cycle of generational poverty."

Mary's Village aims to address that gap. The development will include three homes, each with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, offering a two-year transitional housing program. Residents will pay a monthly program fee that is placed into escrow and returned to them at the end of their stay.

"At the end of two years, each woman will have an additional $16,800," Trattles said. "Coupled with their savings from Mary's Haven, she will have $27,000-$32,000 to use as a down payment on a home."

The program also partners with local banks and nonprofit organizations to provide credit counseling, budgeting education and home maintenance training.

Trattles emphasized that the goal is not simply temporary housing, but permanent stability.

"While the Village is a transitional housing program, it is not just a transitional program," she said. "It is ridiculous to believe that if someone cannot afford rent in 2026, that by giving them income based transitional living they will miraculously be able to afford rent at full rate in a one- or two-year time period. The most important portion of the Mary's Village program is that it culminates in home ownership."

Organizers describe the initiative as a 39-month pathway from homelessness to homeownership, beginning with Mary's Haven and ending with the purchase of a home.

The ribbon-cutting represents the first step in that process, with additional homes planned as part of the broader Mary's Village development. 

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.