After 22 years, a Maine leader in affordable housing is set to retire

Courtesy / Avesta Housing Dana Totman, former CEO of Avesta Housing

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By Staff

The head of Avesta Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing developer headquartered in Portland, is planning to retire after 22 years on the job — nearly half of the organization’s 50 years of existence.

As president and CEO, Dana Totman has led the organization through a period of growth, with affordable homes in the Avesta portfolio increasing from 700 to 3,200. Assets have grown from $60 million to $350 million. During his tenure, the staff has grown from 60 to 300.

Totman has also participated in multiple statewide affordable housing bonds, the formation of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, and the creation of the initial Housing First communities in Maine.

He said his retirement will be effective later this year, but did not specify a date.

“It’s never easy to know the perfect time to step back from a role like mine, but what crystallizes it for me is knowing Avesta is stronger than ever,” he said in the release. “Avesta is at its pinnacle and primed for the next leader to take it further and higher than before.”

Totman called 2022 a “milestone year” symbolizing a half-century of community impact through affordable housing.

“It also feels like the fitting time for me to step down and pass the reins to a new leader to launch this organization into the next 50 years,” he added.

Avesta Housing is the largest nonprofit affordable housing provider in northern New England. In addition to development, the organization works in residential care and assisted living, provides property management and resident services, and offers financial counseling, education and advocacy.

A search for the next president and CEO will begin in the coming months. Totman will stay through summer 2022 to lead the organization and support the search for his replacement.

Compassion for the vulnerable

A lifelong Mainer, Totman has been a leader in the nonprofit sector and an advocate for safe, quality, affordable housing in Maine and New Hampshire for decades. His work has been recognized with awards including being named Mainebiz’s 2013 Business Leader of the Year.

“Over Dana’s career, few people have done more to advance the cause of affordable housing, particularly in Maine,” said Jonathan Culley, chair of the Avesta Housing Board of Directors. “Dana’s deep belief in Avesta’s mission and his compassion for the most vulnerable among us have been an inspiration to many.”

Before joining Avesta, Totman was the deputy director of Maine State Housing Authority from 1994 to 2000 and was the executive director of the Coastal Economic Development Corp. from 1984 to 1994. His career has focused on nonprofit and government management and leadership, specializing in leading organizations through significant change.

Under Totman’s leadership, Avesta has addressed a real estate market in which the availability of affordable housing has become extremely scarce. This has been especially evident in downtown Portland, where skyrocketing home prices and rent threaten to displace the city’s working class.

One of Avesta’s latest projects Deering Place Apartments in Portland, a mix of existing and new construction. Located on contiguous lots in the Parkside neighborhood — 63 Deering St., 61 Deering St. and 510 Cumberland Ave. — the campus is a mixture of affordable, rent-restricted and market share housing.

Another recent project is Wessex Woods in Portland, housing residents ages 55 and older. Utilizing eco-friendly construction, it’s the first project of its kind in the state to cross laminated timber.

In 2019, Avesta cut the ribbon on the 12-unit restoration of Mildred Fox School in South Paris and move-in began on Southgate in Scarborough, both with a mix of affordable housing solutions.

While there are varying definitions of affordable housing, it's typically understood to mean units where less than 30% of a resident's income goes to housing costs, including utilities. Demand far exceeds supply, as applicant numbers keep rising, far outnumbering vacancies.