Photo / Courtesy USDA Rural Development
This flight of stairs are an example of an HfHGP project that improved safety and accessibility at the home.
Updated: December 30, 2024
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland awarded $75k for home repairs
Photo / Courtesy USDA Rural Development
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland staff, volunteers and paid contractors help Cumberland County homeowners with low and very low incomes make repairs to their residences.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland was awarded $75,000 to make affordable repairs to homes belonging to residents with very low and low incomes in Cumberland County, reducing health and safety hazards.
The money came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s housing preservation grant program.
“At USDA Rural Development, we know that paying for maintenance and even for urgent repairs can be out of reach for many homeowners, particularly older residents,” said Rhiannon Hampson, the agency’s Maine state director.
She continued, “The team at Habitat knows their community and can put these housing preservation grant dollars to work where they are needed most.”
The Greater Portland affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit that builds affordable homes and provides vital home repairs for low- and moderate-income families.
Through its home repair program, the nonprofit assists homeowners with projects large and small using a network of experienced staff, vetted subcontractors and volunteers and helping families stay in their homes by offering repairs at affordable prices.
Repairs include those that improve health, safety and accessibility, from replacing an entire roof to installing an accessible shower for a senior citizen.
Photo / Courtesy USDA Rural Development
The critical home repair program assists eligible homeowners with projects of varying scope, such as this sill and entry repair project.
“Not only is it important to us to keep people who have a home in that home, but it’s imperative that we maintain the housing stock currently in circulation,” said Kate Weidner, the Greater Portland organization’s development manager. “Maine needs a drastic increase in housing stock and affordable units are hard to come by, so this work is increasingly important.”
The critical home repair program also receives support from Cumberland County and private donations. The organization welcomes volunteers.
USDA Rural Development's Housing Preservation Program accepts applications from eligible state and local governments, nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes. Other recent HPG recipients in Maine include Penquis and Western Maine Community Action.
Applications typically are accepted annually through a notice published in the Federal Register. The next anticipated application period will be in mid-2025.
Interested Maine organizations may contact Bonnie Hayes at the USDA Rural Development State Office in Bangor (207-990-9164 or bonnie.hayes@usda.gov) for more information.
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