“We have several families ready to move in,” said Joann Cyganovich, executive director, Sojourner House. “These families are currently living with other relatives or in a transitional housing program.”

The new units join the existing six-family Sojourner House MOMS residence, which opened in 2004 as Phase I of the project, providing permanent supportive housing along with services for mothers to continue their recovery, reunite their families and move toward self-sufficiency. Sojourner House MOMS — the name stands for motivation, opportunities, mentoring, and spirituality — is based on the idea that with stable housing and appropriate services, women can maintain sobriety, become self-sufficient, and build a stronger family life for their children.

The MOMS residences are the result of a partnership between Sojourner House, Inc., Negley Place Neighborhood Alliance (NPNA) and East Liberty Development, Inc. The MOMS program was developed specifically to address a gap identified by Allegheny County’s Dept of Human Services for permanent housing for larger families with children who are homeless. The units are designed to meet the needs of larger families with active children.

“Families are usually referred by another agency where they are already receiving some services,” said Ms. Cyganovich. The Sojourner House intake team then reviews applications to make certain families are eligible — a single, female head of household with children, homeless, dual diagnosed with both drug or alcohol addiction and mental illness, and has at least 90 days verifiable “clean time,” according to Ms. Cyganovich.

After years of planning, fundraising, design and patience, the pre-fabricated modular buildings were carefully placed on new foundations by huge cranes on Hays and Black streets in October. Construction crews assembled the pieces, installed roofs and doors, and added exterior brick and siding. Interior work is nearing completion with furniture and appliances to arrive in late November. The new buildings replace run-down nuisance properties known for hosting drug dealing and prostitution. All three properties, located in East Liberty near Highland Park, were originally identified by NPNA because of their blighting effect on the community.

A strong alliance of forward thinking neighborhood organizations and county government agencies made the vision of expanding Sojourner House MOMS a reality, says Anne Crawford, Sojourner House MOMS board president. “Our collaboration was rooted in the recognition that housing and follow-up options for mothers leaving treatment were few; the desire of Negley Place Neighborhood Alliance to revitalize their community through partnership with nonprofits; and East Liberty Development Inc.’s long standing commitment to restoring the East Liberty community to its vibrant past,” notes Ms. Crawford.

Each of the partners worked together to develop a common vision for MOMS, a supported housing program that focuses on meeting the demanding and wide ranging needs of mothers in early recovery. In addition to efforts of community partners, the Allegheny County Department of Human Services and the Housing Authority, City of Pittsburgh were instrumental in developing a unique funding partnership that made MOMS possible.

While the goal of Sojourner House MOMS is to provide compassionate care and safe housing, “we understand that stability is more than a roof over your head,” explains Ms. Crawford. “We want MOMS to reflect our faith-based approach and our earned clinical expertise as an experienced provider of maternal addiction services. We believe that our expertise and unique understanding of the spiritual journey that accompanies recovery offers women and their children the best chance possible to achieve long-term sobriety, family permanence, and self-sufficiency. We hope that MOMS will make a difference in their lives and help families to attain their full potential,” she says.