Tight Rental Market Keeps Maine Domestic Violence Survivors in Shelters Longer

Tight rental market keeps domestic violence survivors in shelters longer

Johnnie Walker, director of housing and shelter services at Partners for Peace, has worked at the domestic violence resource center for 25 years.

Tight rental market keeps Maine's domestic violence survivors in shelters longer

This story appears as part of a collaboration to strengthen investigative journalism in Maine between the BDN and The Maine Monitor. Read more about the partnership. Johnnie Walker, director of housing and shelter services at Partners for Peace, has worked at the domestic violence resource center for 25 years. When she started working there, the organization’s shelter, which serves Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, was emergency housing in the…

Tight rental market keeps Maine domestic violence survivors in shelters longer

Advocates said they could meet only a fraction of the demand for emergency housing, with only 14% of eligible clients receiving shelter statewide.

Tight rental market keeps domestic violence survivors in shelters

A low-income housing development in Portland. A tight rental market is one of the driving forces behind slowing turnover rates in domestic violence shelters. Photo by Yasmeen Khan.Johnnie Walker, director of housing and shelter services at Partners for Peace, has worked at the domestic violence resource center for 25 years. When she started working there, the organization’s shelter, which serves Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, was emergency …