HONOLULU (KHON2) -- What do neuroscience, architecture, and art have in common? They're all part of a program being developed to help the homeless reintegrate into society. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The modular units that mimic a home will soon provide a new way to address homelessness. Located in a city-owned warehouse in Iwilei, the program pioneers a science-backed approach to what is considered a public health crisis. By the end of the year, the plan is to have 14 of the units in the warehouse, incorporating art, architecture, and neuroscience. Architect Ma Ry Kim designed the space using neuroscience research on how the brain heals from the trauma of homelessness. Experts say this trauma impairs brain functions like decision-making and self-regulation due to prolonged stress, instability, and social isolation. "Somebody who is homeless doesn't always have a positive association with the idea of home. It's a very dangerous and traumatic memory. So the first thing we have to do is help them rewire their perception of home," said Kim, CEO of B+HARI Brain Health Applied Research Institute. The units are designed with four distinct zones. ‘Start fighting, start forgiving,’ hundreds march against domestic violence "Zone 1 is the most public. This is the street," explained Kim, referring to the area around the perimeter of the unit. "Zone 2 is semi-public. This is your lanai, where I'm going to welcome you to talk story with me. Zone 3 is semi-personal; this is your living space. I can see outside, I can engage, and I can invite you to come and talk to me, but I'm still in my safe space," said Kim. "The last zone, if I were to close the curtains, is private." The Institute for Human Services will run the program, currently called "Kumu Ola Hou," and will coach individuals on 12 concepts they refer to as "Compassionate Housing" to empower personal change. The 12 principles are printed on cards to help with the brain's neuroplasticity. "Things like 'Kuleana,' taking responsibility," said Connie Mitchell, Executive Director of IHS. "That activates a particular part of the brain. So we're going to share these cards with people as they come in, allowing them to really reflect on that for themselves." "I've been at this for 18 years, and this is like music to my ears—to have people validate the fact that we need to help people heal," said Mitchell. The city is spending $700,000 to renovate the warehouse and will pay for the units, which cost about $5,000 each. The state will fund IHS to run the program, which is expected to cost between $1.5 and $2 million a year. "As complex as homelessness is, we want to implement as many creative solutions as possible to get people to engage with the system. Then we will constantly analyze the resources needed to support those decisions," said Anton Krucky, Director of the city's Department of Community Services. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news If successful, the city plans to replicate this program in other areas and possibly use it as a model for other cities to tackle homelessness.