Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

April 16, 2025

MaineHousing awards $41 million for affordable housing in rural areas

two people standing near building site Photo / Courtesy of Sam Hight Developers Sam Hight and Kara Wilbur at an affordable housing project in Newcastle in 2024, which utilized state funding.
By Tina Fischer

MaineHousing released funding for nine new housing projects that are projected to create 137 income-restricted apartments, mostly in rural communities with limited supply of affordable rentals.

The new apartments will be made available to tenants with household incomes of no more than 80% of the area median income. 

The funding comes from both a $23.5 million state subsidy for the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program (2024's appropriation) and $17.4 million in loans from MaineHousing. 

Dan Brennan is director of MaineHousing.

"These new affordable homes, spurred by the state subsidy that Gov. Janet Mills and a bipartisan coalition of Maine lawmakers have backed, is one more step in the right direction as we continue our work to ease Maine's affordable housing shortage," said MaineHousing Director Dan Brennan.

Brennan said he received more than 20 proposals, seeking more than $50 million.

Towns earmarked for development are Skowhegan, Yarmouth, Rangeley, Rockland, Poland, Thomaston, Madison, Brunswick and Winslow. Details of the projects can be found here.

Rural rentals

Since 2022, state appropriated funding has totaled just over $53 million. The Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program leverages additional funds from private, nonprofit and municipal sources.

The program has helped to build 229 new affordable rental homes in more than a dozen communities. This new round of development will bring the total to 366 units.

The program received a national award/recognition from the National Conference of State Housing Agencies in 2024 in an annual contest highlighting housing initiatives nationwide.

"The program has not only helped add housing where it is needed most, it is adding development capacity for all of Maine," Brennan said. "This peripheral benefit cannot be understated as we move toward a future that will provide housing opportunities that allow more Mainers to live affordably in a community of their choice."

Sign up for Enews

Mainebiz web partners

Most Recent

Most Recent

Related Content

Thumbnail Friday Food Insider: Maine maple producers are ready to take on the weekend
Thumbnail Working waterfront businesses will share in last of Maine's funding for winter storm recovery
Thumbnail Maine's top utilities regulator nominated for second term
Thumbnail A 120-unit Portland apartment building is being upgraded for energy efficiency

0 Comments

Order a PDF