South Portland housing officials this week unveiled a 52-unit affordable housing development for adults aged 55 and older, at 101 Preble St.
The Betsy Ross Crossing Apartments is a project of the South Portland Housing Development Corp. and the South Portland Housing Authority.
Zachau Construction Co. of Freeport was the builder and CHA Consulting Inc. of Portland provided the design.
The project was financed through MaineHousing and the South Portland Housing Development Corp.
Adjacent to South Portland’s Greenbelt walking path, the building is part of a campus that includes Betsy Ross House, a seven-story complex that opened in 1999 to provide apartments for residents ages 62 and older.
The new five-story, 45,000-square-foot attached sister building offers subsidized housing for people age 55 and up, whose household income totals no more than 60% of the area’s median income.
The city’s median income in 2023 was $84,563, according to datausa.com.
The campus now totals 175 units.
The building has 51 one-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 564 to 613 square feet, and renting for an average of $1,332 per month. A 907-square-foot two-bedroom apartment unit has a monthly rent of $1,592.
South Portland Housing Development Corp. is prioritizing applicants who are on a Section 8 or public housing waiting list, people who live or work in South Portland and veterans.Â
The building contains laundry facilities and a community room, with a noontime meal plan option.
Established in 1943, the South Portland Housing Authority provides affordable rental housing to more than 1,100 households, including rental assistance through programs such as the Housing Choice Voucher.