An innovative approach to the problem of homelessness on Martha’s Vineyard moved a step closer to reality Wednesday with the purchase of a six-bedroom home in Vineyard Haven to serve as housing for Islanders who are considered too poor to qualify for affordable housing.

The purchase was made by Harbor Homes of Martha’s Vineyard, the Island’s homeless advocacy network, working in cooperation with Island Housing Trust, according to Karen Tewhey, Dukes County’s homeless prevention coordinator and case manager. The purchase price was $800,000.

Ms. Tewhey, who spearheaded the initiative, said the idea is modeled on a Cape Cod program called Homeless Not Hopeless and combines group housing with counseling services.

“The purpose is to prevent homelessness and to help people who are at imminent risk of being homeless, which is a pretty frequent occurrence on Martha’s Vineyard,” she said. “People report that they’ve been in a rental and they’re getting asked to leave and there’s nothing for them to move into. Then they usually wind up in something that’s illegal, overpriced or unsanitary; the options are extremely limited.”

Ms. Tewhey said the goal of Harbor Homes is to have six men moved into their new home on April 1. Tenants will pay $450 a month in rent and will be required to contribute to the upkeep of the house while also participating in a weekly house meeting. There will also be an opportunity for residents to work with a case manager for professional guidance.

Future plans call for a second home for women, she said.

“We want to house people who are invested in moving towards more independence and self-sufficient situations. We want people to get back into the mainstream, buying food, cooking their meals, dealing with finances, looking for a job, taking a class. But really now that they have some secure housing, they can move on with their lives,” she said.

Harbor Homes of Martha’s Vineyard worked with the Island Housing Trust, a nonprofit affordable housing developer, in procuring the house on Tashmoo avenue in Vineyard Haven, Ms. Tewhey said. The home had been recently renovated by David Rosenberg, who approached IHT to see if there was interest in purchasing the house for affordable housing before he put it on the market. A resident of Newton, Mr. Rosenberg is a principal in the group that purchased the Clarion Hotel in Edgartown two years ago.

In an agreement between the two organizations, Harbor Homes of MV will own the home and the improvements to the building, while IHT will own the land to ensure it is deed-restricted for affordable housing for decades to come.

Ms. Tewhey said the partnership with IHT was critical to financing the purchase. Harbor Homes of MV used grant money from IHT’s Make it Happen Fund in part when making the purchase, as well as $125,000 in Community Preservation Act funds it received from four Island towns last year.

Additional funding came from 70 private donors, primarily individuals, but some businesses, including a major donation from a single seasonal resident who Ms. Tewhey declined to name.

Harbor Homes of Martha’s Vineyard will be going before five towns at town meeting hoping to secure an additional $380,000 in Community Preservation Act funds, she added.

“The ultimate goal is to make sure every resident of Martha’s Vineyard has access to something that’s safe, legal and affordable. We’re very excited about it,” Ms. Tewhey said.