Emergency shelter and home repair are focus of Realtor foundation grants

Two homes are under construction in South Portland.

PHOTO / COURTESY, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GREATER PORTLAND Affordable housing is a focus of the Realtors Foundation grant program. Here, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland is building affordable homes in South Portland and Standish.

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By Laurie Schreiber

Since 1984, a Newcastle nonprofit called the Community Housing Improvement Project, or CHIP, has been providing volunteer services to help struggling Lincoln County residents keep up their homes. The services include such vital work as weatherproofing, replacement of windows and doors, adding handicap access ramps and electrical and plumbing repairs.

The organization recently got a boost from the Maine Association of Realtors Foundation, which awarded CHIP a $5,000 grant for materials to repair homes and roofs.

“The foundation exists to ease some of the financial burden of those organizations that are the boots on the ground,” said Ashlee Simpson Black, the foundation’s chair and a broker at the Simpson Team at Realty of Maine in Bangor.

The grant to CHIP was one of 16 awarded to organizations that address a variety of housing needs throughout Maine.

The foundation, the charitable arm of Maine Association of Realtors, awarded $140,000 in all — up from $80,000 for 11 organizations in 2023.

The money comes as more affordable housing developments and assistance programs than ever are underway. But more are still needed.

“Affordable housing has always been a concern, but in recent years it has become increasingly apparent that those of us that can do something, must do something to fix the crisis,” said Black.

Grants from the foundation’s affordable housing fund offer nonprofits assistance in helping Maine’s most vulnerable households with providing meaningful housing solutions.

The following organizations each received a $10,000 grant:

Bangor Area Homeless Shelter (Bangor) to assist with shelter operations to address the growing issue of homelessness.
Boothbay Region Housing Trust (West Boothbay Harbor) to insulate the workforce homes being built in the area.
Caring Unlimited (Sanford) to expand emergency domestic violence shelter capacity and provide emergency assistance to help clients avoid homelessness.
Community Care (Bangor) to provide rental assistance for youth experiencing homelessness to secure both temporary and permanent housing.
Habitat for Humanity 7 Rivers (Bath) for materials and job site costs for critical home repairs for income-eligible homeowners.
H.O.M.E. Inc. (Orland) to renovate an apartment to expand transitional housing available at the Sister Barbara Hance House.
Homeworthy, formerly the Knox County Homeless Coalition, (Rockland) for the final construction phase of Talbot Avenue community housing development providing affordable housing for families.
Mission at the Eastward (Farmington) to purchase building tools and materials to conduct critical home repairs for low-income individuals and families.
New Beginnings (Lewiston) to maintain safe, suitable 24-hour emergency shelter for low-income youth experiencing homelessness.
Preble Street (Portland) to support Teen Housing Services, helping youth experiencing homelessness find safety and stability.
Rural Community Action Ministry (Leeds) to provide support services for low-income rural families: Homeless prevention, Housing First priorities.
The Northern Lighthouse (Presque Isle) to provide emergency shelter and transitional living program services to homeless youths ages 10-21.

The following organizations each received a $5,000 grant:

Community Housing Improvement Project (Newcastle) for materials to repair homes and roofs as part of their home repair program.
Deborah Lincoln House (Belfast) to upgrade the heating system to include heat pumps for residents’ rooms.
Safe Voices (Auburn) to assist with paying initial security and utility deposits for survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking and sexual exploitation to transition to stable housing.
The Opportunity Alliance (South Portland) to provide rent and security deposits to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through its Cumberland County Homeless Prevention program.

The fund was established in 1989 and derives its revenue from interest earnings paid by financial institutions on real estate trust accounts administered by Realtor offices across Maine.

Since 1991, the foundation has awarded more than $1.6 million in competitive program grants to address affordable housing needs.