A coalition of partners in the Hancock County city of Ellsworth is planning to document underused spaces, redevelopment-ready properties and opportunities for upper-floor housing in the downtown district.
The Mid-Coast Board of Realtors gave a $5,000 grant to Heart of Ellsworth to help the nonprofit community advocate hire a housing consultant to assess downtown properties, identify opportunities for upper-floor housing and produce a report with actionable recommendations to expand housing Ellsworth’s downtown.
“Housing affordability requires action at the local level, and this project is a great example of how data, collaboration and community leadership can come together to create real change,” said Kim Rush, the board’s president.
The money came from the National Association of Realtors’ community development advocacy program.
The work will be carried out with housing partners, local leaders and community stakeholders to improve systems, programs and policies that help more households access affordable housing, according to a news release.
In addition to funding, local Realtors will support the initiative through committee involvement, overseeing consultant selection, coordinating regular check-ins, guiding community engagement efforts, reviewing and refining deliverables, and evaluating project outcomes.
Underused spaces
Project partners include Heart of Ellsworth, the city of Ellsworth and the Ellsworth Public Library, each contributing leadership, municipal coordination, community engagement support, expertise, outreach, education, data and matching funds.
In a separate release, Heart of Ellsworth said the grant is part of the nonprofit’s launch of a downtown housing opportunity project aimed at increasing housing availability, activating underutilized spaces and supporting long-term economic vitality.
Additional funders include the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The project leverages Main Street America’s Building Opportunities on Main Street (BOOMS) tracker, a national tool designed to help communities better understand and activate their built environment.
272 buildings
The project will analyze and document approximately 272 buildings within the downtown district to identify underutilized spaces, redevelopment-ready properties and opportunities for upper-floor housing. By combining data collection, property research, and stakeholder engagement, the project is expected to generate actionable insights to guide investment, policy and development strategies.
“One of the biggest opportunities we have in Ellsworth is within our existing buildings,” said Twila Fisher, the city’s director of economic development.
The project takes a data-driven approach, said Cara Romano, executive director of Heart of Ellsworth.
“By working closely with property owners and partners, we’re gaining a clearer understanding of where opportunities exist to create more housing and support small business growth in our community,” Romano said.
The project includes outreach to property owners and stakeholders, with findings compiled into a report and shared publicly.
Another goal is to attract developers, investors and new businesses by providing accessible data about downtown properties and development potential.
