These Florida maternity homes offer sanctuary, but it can feel oppressive

This article was written as part of the Local Investigations Fellowship, a one-year program where local reporters produce investigative work about their communities for The New York Times. In Naples, Sunlight Home offered refuge and a fresh start for pregnant women on the brink of homelessness. It also required them to get permission before leaving the property and to download a tracking app on their phones, former residents said and its policies show. At Hannah’s Home of South Florida, near West Palm Beach, women needed a pastor’s approval to have romantic relationships and were compelled to attend morning prayer, according to former residents, employees and volunteers. They also had to hand over their food stamps to pay for communal groceries, a practice that raised concerns about their autonomy and well-being.