Maine’s first affordable senior housing development designed specifically to provide an LGBTQ+-affirming community will celebrate its grand opening Wednesday in downtown Portland, adding 54 income-restricted apartments amid an ongoing shortage of affordable housing for older Mainers.
Equality Commons, a five-story apartment building at 25 Casco Street, was developed adjacent to the Equality Community Center and is intended to provide affordable housing for residents 55 and older, with additional programming and services geared toward LGBTQ+ seniors.
Despite its stated mission, the publicly supported housing development is not restricted to LGBTQ+ residents.
Anyone who meets the age and income requirements can apply, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Residents are, however, required to sign a non-discrimination pledge that the Equality Community Center says will be “strictly enforced.”
The development arrives as Portland continues to struggle with high housing costs and limited affordable options, particularly for seniors living on fixed incomes. More than 250 people have already joined the waiting list for the building’s 54 apartments, according to News Center Maine. Leasing is underway and applications are still being accepted.
Equality Commons includes 12 efficiency apartments ranging from roughly 501 to 525 square feet, 34 one-bedroom apartments ranging from 567 to 715 square feet, and eight two-bedroom units ranging from approximately 798 to 837 square feet.
Nineteen of the apartments are accessible units — 12 more than the seven required — in an effort to accommodate seniors and residents with mobility limitations.
The development also features a community room, laundry facilities, secure bicycle storage and commercial space for a café with outdoor seating. The building was designed with broadband infrastructure capable of supporting telehealth services and includes electrical infrastructure that could accommodate rooftop solar panels and Level 2 electric vehicle chargers in the future.
Tax Credits, TIF Financing Helped Fund Project
Equality Commons was financed through a combination of public and private funding mechanisms.
According to the Equality Community Center, the project was one of four developments selected by MaineHousing for financing in 2024 and relied on Maine Affordable Housing Tax Credits, federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, a commercial bank loan and a 75 percent tax increment financing agreement awarded by the City of Portland.
Evernorth’s 481 Fund II, funded by TD Bank, provided approximately $9.7 million in federal tax-credit equity, while the Genesis Community Loan Fund provided additional financial support.
Falmouth-based Penobscot General Contractors constructed the roughly 43,000-square-foot building on what had been a parking lot in Portland’s Arts District.
The Portland Housing Authority manages the property and oversees applications, tenant selection, leases and other building operations.
Who Qualifies?
At least 60 percent of the apartments are reserved for households earning no more than 50 percent of the Portland-area median income, while the remaining apartments are limited to households earning no more than 60 percent of the area median income.
For 2026, the maximum annual income for a one-person household is $48,700 for a 50 percent AMI unit and $58,440 for a 60 percent AMI unit, according to Equality Commons’ published eligibility requirements. The limits rise based on household size.
Published Low-Income Housing Tax Credit rent limits range from $1,217 for a studio at the 50 percent AMI level to $1,878 for a two-bedroom apartment at the 60 percent AMI level. Those limits are subject to annual changes.
MaineHousing is also providing 11 project-based housing vouchers, representing about 20 percent of the apartments, for residents with special needs. Those units are intended to serve people with disabilities and people living with HIV/AIDS, with the Frannie Peabody Center among the organizations assisting with placements.
For tenants receiving project-based voucher assistance, rent is generally capped at approximately 30 percent of adjusted household income.
LGBTQ+ Mission, But Housing Open to All
The Equality Community Center describes Equality Commons as Maine’s first affordable senior housing community offering supportive services specifically for LGBTQ+ older adults.
Organizers say some LGBTQ+ seniors face concerns about isolation or discrimination as they age and that placing the apartments directly next to the Equality Community Center will allow residents to more easily access social activities and support programs.
The neighboring center serves as a gathering place for LGBTQ+ organizations and allied groups and is intended to provide Equality Commons residents with access to community programming, health and wellness resources and other support services.
But eligibility for the taxpayer-supported affordable housing is not based on a resident’s sexuality.
“At least one household member” must be 55 or older, applicants must meet federal affordable-housing income limits and prospective tenants must pass the normal screening process covering issues including rental history and background checks.
The distinction has been part of the project since its planning stages: Equality Commons is designed to create an affirming environment for LGBTQ+ seniors while remaining legally open to qualifying straight residents and others.
With more than four prospective residents for every available apartment already on the waiting list, the demand surrounding Equality Commons also underscores a broader problem that extends well beyond one demographic, the difficulty many older Mainers face finding an affordable place to live in Portland.
The project’s grand opening is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 19, with Equality Commons beginning its first chapter as both an affordable senior housing development and a closely watched experiment in pairing subsidized housing with an identity-focused community center.
how is this legal?
That’s fantastic. Just like the WMBA just say you’re gay, what they gonna do make you prove it by voting democrat?
So my tax dollars makes this affordable? If so, wrong on all levels