Wells Residents to Consider Moratorium on Housing Projects on 8/6
Voters in Wells, Maine will decide whether to establish a retroactive moratorium on large-scale residential development in the community from April 2024 through mid-October 2024. The moratorium would apply to developments of 45 housing units or more. The issue will be on the ballot at a special Town Meeting on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at the Wells Junior High School gymnasium from 8 AM–8 PM. Absentee ballots are available. MAHC recognizes our state is in a housing crisis and needs 84,000 new homes by 2030. To house all the people we care for and need in our daily lives, people in towns throughout Maine need to rethink how their town embraces housing. All Maine people deserve a home. Read more.
Senator King Cosponsors Effort to Protect Affordable Housing in Maine
MAHC has supported maintaining the natural affordable housing stock of manufactured homes in Maine through state legislation that: 1) has park owners give residents time to coordinate and put in an offer to purchase the land under their homes before other offers are considered; 2) to allow manufactured housing in all single family zones; and 3) budget $5 million to support resident purchase of manufactured housing park land that they lease from owners. MAHC applauds U.S. Senator Angus King for his work at the Federal level to preserve this vital part of the affordable housing stock in Maine. Senator King has joined in the introduction of critical legislation to protect the affordable housing market in Maine and across the country. The Manufactured Housing Community Sustainability Act would encourage manufactured home park owners interested in selling their properties to sell the land to their residents, rather than another landlord or a developer. If passed by Congress, this would allow more Americans to stay in their homes and protect them from excessive rent increases. Read more
Recovery Housing Funding from MaineHousing - RFP
A completed Recovery Housing Pre-Application must be received by MaineHousing no later than Thursday, August 22, 2024. Read more.
Why Housing Costs Have Skyrocketed (Elevators As a Microcosm)- NY Times I got a glimpse into why so little new housing is built in America and why what is built is often of such low quality and at high cost. The problem with elevators is a microcosm of the challenges of the broader construction industry — from labor to building codes to a sheer lack of political will. These challenges are at the root of a mounting housing crisis that has spread to nearly every part of the country and is damaging our economic productivity and our environment..Read more. Check out MAHC's report on the cost of building housing here.
The newly updated Federal Housing Administration Program will assist families looking for affordable financing to repair, purchase, or rehabilitate single-family homes. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, through its Federal Housing Administration (FHA), published a newly updated set of policies for its 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program. The changes announced today will modernize the program and enhance its usefulness for individuals and families seeking affordable financing for renovating or rehabilitating a single-family home when purchasing or refinancing it.
Federal Actions to Lower Housing Costs by Limiting Rent Increases and Building More Homes - $2.5M for Lewiston housing President Biden is announcing new actions to lower housing costs, including:
Calling on Congress to pass legislation giving corporate landlords a choice to either cap rent increases on existing units at 5% or risk losing current valuable federal tax breaks;
Repurposing public land sustainably to enable as many as 15,000 additional affordable housing units to be built in Nevada; and
Rehabilitating distressed housing, building more affordable housing, and revitalizing neighborhoods, including in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The President called on Congress to make the American Dream a reality for more families by passing the Biden-Harris Housing Plan, which would build 2 million homes, and provide $10,000 in mortgage relief to unlock homeownership for millions of Americans. Already, more units are under construction than at any time in over 50 years, and the rate of new housing starts is up 17 percent compared to the last Administration. Read more.
Lewiston’s Tree Streets neighborhood in Maine received another boost with a $2.5 million grant from theU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The first phase includes Wedgewood Apartments, 82 rental homes in 9 buildings developed by Lewiston Housing in partnership with Avesta Housing. Evernorth is proud to be an equity investor in Wedgewood Apts. The project involves the renovation of Wedgewood Mansion and the construction of new homes on Pine, Pierce, Bartlett, and Walnut streets. Read more in this Mainebiz article!
Lead Hazard Reduction Funding - Due 8/19 Assists in developing and implementing comprehensive programs to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible low-income privately-owned rental and owner-occupied housing. In addition to addressing lead-based paint hazards, applicants can apply for healthy homes supplemental funding to address other housing related health and safety issues while addressing the lead based paint in the homes. Applicants can request up to $700,000 in healthy homes supplemental funds! Read more.
Harvard University Free PDF Book Explores the Role of Housing Design in Addressing Housing Challenges
The State of Housing Design addresses the gap in considering design's role in the state of our nation's housing. Harvard adds this to take a comprehensive view of housing, and to draw on design expertise at the Harvard Graduate School of Design to call attention to the important role that design can and must play in addressing the housing challenges. Now available in full as a free PDF download
MAHC Receives HUD Memo Clarifying Environmental Review and Choice Limiting Actions Sharing an update on the outreach we had with HUD Region I officials earlier this year. HUD shared this clarifying memo regarding some questions and we have follow up conversations planned with Maine Housing on their Environmental Review process to expedite, and allow for alternative pathways, and better understand Choice Limiting Actions in Maine. MAHC will share updates and opportunities for engagement as our work continues, but of note in HUD's memo are the following:
Equipment such as transformers and meter packs can be reviewed at the Categorically Excluded (CENST) level - 58.35(b)(3) - and therefore would not be a choice limiting activity. Such equipment should not be stored at the proposed project site.
Contracts signed prior to the federal nexus, including a P&S, may be executed after the federal nexus, but the project proceeds at the grantee's risk.
A P&S signed after the federal nexus is a choice limiting action. HUD is currently in internal discussions with their Office of General Counsel and their Policy Council to consider whether to allow a P&S, with the proper contingency language, to be executed after the federal nexus without incurring a choice limiting action.
If a previous environmental clearance under 24CFR Part 58 was by the same responsible entity (RE - aka Maine Housing in Maine), supplemental assistance would likely be applicable. (See full memo)
Another agency's environmental review may be adopted if the scopes match. (See full memo)
Newsweek Op Ed: Building Thriving Communities
The U.S. already has a tried-and-true tool to help us build resilient communities with affordable housing—the landmark Fair Housing Act. The Fair Housing Act promises fair and equal access to housing and ensures all individuals are treated fairly and equitably in the housing market. However, one key mechanism has not been fully adopted by the federal government—the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) mandate. This mandate requires communities receiving federal housing and community development funds to proactively address factors contributing to housing discrimination, segregation, and the lack of affordable housing options as well as the resulting disparities. If federal agencies adopt an AFFH Rule now, we can dismantle systemic barriers to fair and affordable housing and create more equitable communities where everyone thrives.
MAHC Member Spotlight - Evernorth - $61M Investor Fund Will Finance 5 Maine Affordable Housing Projects
The Davis Road project in Bangor is being created by the city's Housing Authority and the Bangor Housing Development Corp. It will be made up of 32 apartments for adults 55 and older at a cost of $1.9 million.
In Belfast, Congress Square Commons is a project from Developers Collaborative encompassing 36 apartments for families. It will cost $8.2 million.
The Oak Grove Commons in Bath, built by Realty Resources, is an acquisition and rehabilitation housing project comprised of 34 apartments for families at a cost of $7.4 million.
Wedgewood in Lewiston is under the supervision of the Lewiston Housing Authority with Avesta Housing serving as a development consultant. The project is a combination of acquisition and rehabilitation as well as new construction that will create 82 apartments for families for $10.3 million.
Augusta's 99 Western Ave. project is to be built by Mastway Development and will feature 38 new apartments for families. It is a $3.5 million construction effort.
