Maine organizations to receive $1.65M for affordable housing, jobs

COURTESY / AVESTA HOUSING Avesta Housing is one of five Maine housing organizations to receive $1.65 million from NeighborWorks America to develop and preserve affordable housing. Seen here is Bartlett Woods, an affordable senior housing complex in Yarmouth co-owned by Yarmouth Senior Housing and Avesta Housing.

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By Staff

Five housing organizations will receive a total of $1,653,500 from NeighborWorks America to develop and preserve affordable housing, revitalize and sustain neighborhoods, and create jobs.

According to a news release from the office of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the funding will be distributed as follows:

Avesta Housing Development Corp., Portland: $434,500
Coastal Enterprises Inc., Brunswick: $527,500
Community Concepts Inc., Lewiston: $316,500
Kennebec Valley Community Action Program Housing Services, Augusta: $140,000
Penquis Community Action Program Inc., Rockland: $235,000.

“This important funding supports Maine’s housing organizations as they create local solutions to community development and affordable housing challenges across Maine," said Collins, who chairs the Senate Housing Appropriations Subcommittee.

NeighborWorks America is a public nonprofit organization, established by Congress in 1978, that supports a network of nearly 250 local and regional nonprofit partner organizations bringing together residents, private-sector business leaders, and representatives of local government to provide affordable housing opportunities.

Last November, Avesta Housing announced the launch of a $2 million fundraising program to support the affordable housing needs of older adults, citing a “staggering” number of applicants on wait lists for Avesta’s affordable senior properties.

In her state of the state address last month, Gov. Janet Mills called for more affordable housing support and referenced the Maine Affordable Housing Tax Credit as key to creating nearly 1,000 additional affordable homes over eight years, increasing Maine’s current rate of production by 50%.