The federal government has approved $24.7 million for six housing projects across Maine.
Projects that will receive funding are in Greenville, Auburn, East Machias, Indian Township, Sanford and Wells.
“Maine’s housing shortage continues to make it harder for many people in our state to find a safe and affordable place to live,” said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who said she secured the congressionally directed spending included in the fiscal year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill that was recently signed into law.
“This funding will improve the quality and safety of affordable and emergency housing for families, seniors and workers throughout Maine,” she said.
Greenville mid-market housing
Projects targeted include Northern Forest Center’s Maine woods affordable housing initiative in the Piscataquis County town of Greenville; it received $2.5 million. Overall, the Spruce Street housing project will cost $11.5 million and is expected to address a pressing need for workforce housing.
“Employers like Northern Light CA Dean Hospital in Greenville struggle to recruit and retain staff because there simply isn’t enough quality, year-round housing for people living and working in the community,” the Northern Forest Center said.
To expand housing options that are accessible to people who live and work in Greenville, the center purchased 5.5 acres on Spruce Street from the Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corp. Development is underway to build up to 29 homes using a mass timber platform.
The middle-market project is for both rental and ownership and is designed for year-round residents.
Last fall, the center and partners hosted contractors from eight Maine companies to give them a chance to learn about a new approach, developed by Chicago mass timber company TMBR, that combines mass timber, standardized design and a patented hinge assembly system to create timber-frame homes, the center said.
Mass timber is a family of engineered wood products that combines smaller pieces of wood into stronger, structural components. The plan is for TMBR to ship standardized mass timber components to the construction site, where local teams would erect the frames and install panels between the beams. The hinge system that connects the components, built-in chases for utilities, prefinished interior walls and other features are projected to reduce labor and other costs.
Other projects
City of Auburn: $8 million to expand infrastructure needed for workforce housing.
Down East Community Hospital: $2.19 million to support the development of housing units in East Machias for the hospital workforce.
Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township: $2.985 million to support affordable housing in Indian Township as part of the Passamaquoddy Housing Initiative.
Sanford Housing Authority Development Corp.: $2.5 million to develop workforce and senior housing in Springvale.
York County Community College: $6.5 million to construct workforce and student housing in Wells for year-round use.