Gov. Janet Mills (D) and the Maine State Housing Authority announced Friday that the state has secured financing for 311 apartments located across eight developments throughout the state.
Spanning across the cities of Biddeford, Belfast, Lewiston, Portland, South Portland, and Rockland, the new apartments will primarily benefit Maine’s seniors, with a handful of units also going toward lower-income families.
This latest batch of awards has brought the total number of affordable housing units financed by the state to more than 1,000 in the past year alone, the majority of which have been new construction.
These eight newest projects are supported by $14.3 million in federal and state affordable housing tax credits.
Signed into law by Gov. Mills in 2020, the $80 million State Affordable Housing Tax Credit has given the state the ability to allocate a total of $65.5 million worth of the State credit to support the construction or preservation of 982 affordable rental units.
The developments supported by Friday’s group of awards are:
- Belfast Birches, 24 units for adults aged 55+
- Quebec Commons, Biddeford, 45 units for adults aged 55+
- The Rochambeau, Biddeford, 46 units for adults aged 55+
- Soleil Apartments 2, Lewiston, 28 family units
- The Woodbury, Portland, 51 units for adults aged 55+
- Cumberland Housing, Portland, 50 units for adults aged 55+
- Landry Heights, South Portland, 38 units for adults aged 55+
- McLain School Housing, Rockland, 29 family units
From these projects, the combined $14.3 million in tax credits are expected to generate $62.7 million in private investment, officials said.
According to estimates provided Friday by the Maine State Housing Authority, the 311 new units will generate around $116.9 million in overall economic activity in the state.
“While New England and the nation face a severe housing crunch, my Administration and MaineHousing have taken action — making record investments to help build more attainable rental homes and put the dream of homeownership within reach of Maine people,” said Mills in a statement shared Friday.
“With support from my Administration and the Legislature, MaineHousing has financed more than 1,000 homes for Maine people in the last year alone,” said Mills. “We have more work to do, but we are a step closer to the day we can say ‘Welcome Home’ to every family who wants to live and work here in Maine.”
“The developments represent a significant addition to our portfolio at a time when the need for affordable housing has never been greater,” said MaineHousing Director Dan Brennan.
“As the result of the resources we’ve received from Governor Mills and a broad and bipartisan coalition of lawmakers who have supported MaineHousing’s programs, we continue to make great progress in meeting the urgent demand for affordable housing in our state,” Brennan said.
