MAHC Releases New Research - Case Studies on the Cost of Building Affordable Housing
MAHC worked with Research Consultant, Sarah Sturtevant, to consider different approaches and costs to building affordable housing. These three case studies and areas of opportunity based on the findings support the need for subsidy to build affordable housing, reduced regulation to build safe housing, reduced impact of stringent zoning, and more. Full report.NLIHC Releases Out of Reach Report - Maine People Need to Earn $26.38 an hour To Afford Fair Market Rent ($37.42 in Portland)
The National Low Income Housing Coalition released their Out of Reach Report highlighting that most people don’t have a place to call home that is affordable. In Maine, the Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,372. In order to afford that rent and utilities- without paying more than 30% of your income on housing – a household must earn $4,572 a month, $54,863 a year, or $26.38 per hour working 40 hours a week. To afford a one-bedroom, you need to make $20.72 an hour. Yet the average renter in Maine – 27% of households - makes $17.04 an hour. Everyone in Maine needs a place to call home, but right now, a home is simply out of reach.
“When you hear about the need for affordable housing in Maine, this is why. And when you hear about affordable housing going into your community, keep an open mind. Your kids starting out in the workforce need it, your aging parent’s home health workers make $17.51 an hour and need it, your kid’s childcare providers make $16.75 an hour and need it, your local police officer and bank teller need it, your pharmacy window staff need it. Without housing affordable for all the people in our lives that we care about and rely upon, the cost of living in Maine is only going to get more expensive in property taxes, lack of access to EMTs, teachers, fire and police, restaurant and business closures, and more,” said Laura Mitchell, Executive Director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, "housing is out of reach throughout Maine."
As States Like New Hampshire and Massachusetts Take Measures to Support Housing That Reduce Local Control, The Federal Government Now Takes a Look Too Read more
Sign On To Prevent Proposed Federal Cuts to Key Housing Investments
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations released a proposal – written without bipartisan input – to cut funding for HUD programs in the fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending bill. Overall, the proposal would fund HUD at $73.2 billion – $2.3 billion, or about 3%, less than the previous year’s funding level. Sign on to a national letter urging Congress to oppose budget cuts and instead to support the highest level of funding possible for affordable housing, homelessness, and community development resources in FY25. Nearly 2,300 organizations have already signed on to the letter from the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding (CHCDF).
Full funding to renew all existing contracts for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and expand assistance to 20,000 more households.
$6.2 billion for public housing operations and $5.2 billion for public housing capital needs.
$4.7 billion for HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG) program.
$100 million for the Eviction Prevention Grant Program.
Watch Highlights of the Terwilliger Center Summit On Housing Supply Solutions MAHC found the summit valuable in reinforcing the need for private and public engagement to move housing forward. For example, did you know the Orlando Florida developer that was tasked with building affordable housing for Disney workers only got through planning board approval because Disney leadership showed up and spoke in favor? Nationally, there seems to be a growing understanding that without state or national zoning solutions, equitable access for all people to the homes they need won't be possible. The opportunity that modular and manufactured housing provides to increase affordable home ownership was also highlighted. Watch here.
National Fair Housing Alliance: Building An Inclusive & Just Future, 7/14-7/16, Washington D.C.
Conference sessions will tackle crucial issues affirmatively furthering fair housing, and a special Town Hall on Where You Live Matters, diving deep into how zip codes impact access to opportunity. The conference will end with a special conversation between some of the trailblazers featured on TIME Magazine's inaugural Closers list this year for their work to close the racial wealth gap. Learn and collaborate to propel the cause of fair housing, fair lending, and equitable communities forward. Secure your spot today for this dynamic gathering where ideas turn into action! Register Today!
In Maine, about 1 in 4 households are housing cost-burdened, and about 1 in 10 are severely cost burdened.
Funding for L2 EV charging at multifamily buildings in Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, Biddeford, Dover-Foxcroft, Lewiston, Norway, Oxford, Portland, Sanford, South Portland, and Westbrook
National Housing Trust Fund Investments in Maine for 2019 and 2020
Community Land Trusts and Shared Equity Housing Can Break Through Homeownership Affordability Challenges
As communities around the United States grapple with a growing affordability crisis and the ongoing legacy of racially exclusionary housing policies, community land trusts (CLTs) have attracted growing attention from housing practitioners and policy makers as a potential solution. By effectively removing housing from the speculative market and keeping it permanently affordable, CLTs can bring equitable and targeted relief to the housing crisis. In particular, CLTs are best known for providing shared equity homeownership opportunities, where a one-time investment substantially reduces the price of a home to make it affordable to lower income homebuyers and then the resale price is restricted to keep it affordable for subsequent lower income homebuyers. Read more.
Share Your Projects and Learn about Federal Technical Assistance and Funding Programs - Thriving Communities Northeast Workshop, 7/29, 9-4 pm, St. Anselm College, Manchester, NH
For decades, communities have requested resources and tools to successfully compete for federal funding. This brings together federal agencies to coordinate place-based technical assistance (TA) and capacity-building resources - grant and financial management support, pre-development assistance, community engagement, planning, and project delivery support. Federal agency staff, technical assistance providers, philanthropy, and state and local community leaders will attend. Register
Maine Housing Survey - Please Respond and Share
Insurance Costs Are Rising And That Goes For Multifamily Owners and Single Family Homeowners Maine homeowners are facing the second-largest home insurance rate hike in the country and climate change is to blame, according to the Portland Press Herald.
MAHC Housing Policy Conference
Coming up on November 13, 2024 at the Doubletree by Hilton, Portland. Get your sponsorship and vendor table today.
