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Sponsored by: Avesta Housing
Updated: September 26, 2022 2022 Giving Guide

Avesta Housing

Who We Are

We are a nonprofit organization driven by our mission to improve lives and strengthen communities by promoting and providing quality affordable homes for people in need. We care deeply about people —those who need safe, quality, affordable housing and those living in the homes we develop and manage. We have four Core Values that sustain the work we do:

  • Humanity: We care about people.
  • Stewardship: We manage our resources responsibly, efficiently, and sustainably.
  • Relationships: We seek meaningful interaction and effective collaboration.
  • Quality: We pursue excellence in all our work.

What We Do

We are passionate about affordable housing and the positive impact it has on lives and communities. We focus on five strategic areas:

  • Development: We collaborate with community leaders, building professionals, housing advocates and financial partners to develop, acquire and preserve hundreds of affordable homes each year.
  • Property Management & Resident Services: We operate 110 properties with a combined total of 3,200 affordable homes in northern New England. We care about the people living in our communities, and we care about the condition and performance of our buildings.
  • Financial Stability & Homeownership: The Avesta HomeOwnership Center fosters strong, thriving communities and personal financial health and stability through enriched financial literacy, improved personal financial management and increased homeownership.
  • Senior & Assisted Living: As Maine’s population ages, the scope of our commitment to affordable housing has grown to include those for aging older adults. Our assisted living communities offer personalized, affordable and supportive living options.
  • Advocacy: We address local, regional and national affordable housing needs through strategic collaborations.

2023 Goals

As Avesta Housing celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, we welcome a new president and CEO, Rebecca Hatfield, to lead us into the next phase. We are focused on providing more affordable homes and ensuring that people who move into them receive the services they need to transition successfully and maintain housing stability. The need for safe, quality affordable housing has never been greater — rising inflation and exorbitant housing costs for both renters and homeowners have contributed to an increasing number of people who are unhoused or are in danger of becoming unhoused. In 2021, we received a record number of applications for affordable housing, but we were only able to house less than 8% of them. One of our primary goals is to collaborate with community leaders, policymakers and stakeholders to address the causes of the affordable housing crisis so that we can formulate and implement long-term solutions while building more affordable homes.

Giving Opportunities

Avesta Housing’s work begins long before the first shovel of dirt is thrown and long after residents move into our homes. We develop affordable homes that meet the diverse needs of the people who live in them. Each of our properties is overseen by a property management and resident service team that not only ensures that residents live in safe, quality housing, but that they are provided the resources they need to live healthy and purposeful lives. We partner with other organizations to provide these services, and rely on grants and donations to ensure they are adequately funded.

Leadership

Board officers

File photo
Rebecca Hatfield, president and CEO of Avesta Housing
Jonathan Culley, managing partner at Redfern Properties

Janice de Lima, Board Vice Chair: Vice President, Norway Savings Bank

Tim Agnew, Board Treasurer: Principal, Masthead Venture Partners

Dr. Renee Fay-LeBlanc, Board Secretary: Chief Medical Officer, Greater Portland Health

Board members

Peter Bass: President, Random Orbit Inc.

Tony Cipollone: Retired executive

Andrea Dodge Patstone: President, Western Maine Health

James Elkins: Career Counselor, Career Planning Services

Katherine Griffin: Partner, Toole, Powers & Griffin P.A.

Alice Kabore: Multicultural & Multilingual Coordinator, South Portland School Dept.

Chomba Kaluba: Immigrant & Refugee Youth Advocate, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization

Raïssa Kaze: Account Manager, CoWorx Staffing Services

Lori Parham: State Advocacy & Policy Director, AARP Maine

Peter Pitegoff: Professor & Former Dean, University of Maine School of Law

Nathan Poore: Town Manager, Falmouth

Jeffrey Shaw: President, Clark Insurance

Amy Smith: Executive Director, Healthy Homeworks

Douglas Stockbridge: President, Rollins Management Group Inc.

Kimberly Twitchell: Maine Regional President, NBT Bank

At a glance

Established: 1972

Employees: 235

Annual revenue: $58 million

Top funding sources

53.3% Private

38% Federal

5.1% State

3.6% Grants

Contact

307 Cumberland Ave., Portland, ME 04101

(207) 553-7777

https://www.AvestaHousing.org

https://www.facebook.com/AvestaHousing

https://www.twitter.com/AvestaHousing

Accolades

2022: Deering Place — Notable Project Award (Maine Real Estate & Development Association)

2021: Southgate House — Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award (Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition)

2020: Best Places to Work in Maine (Society for Human Resource Management – Maine State Council)

Mission Statement

Avesta Housing improves lives and strengthens communities by promoting and providing quality affordable homes for people in need.

Service locations

Maine and New Hampshire