MaineHousing awards $9.3M for more affordable homes for middle-income families

Courtesy / Boothbay Regional Development Corp. Plans for a new development in Boothbay envision a range of thoughtfully-priced housing options, to be built in phases.

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By Tina Fischer

A total of $9.3 million from the state Affordable Homeownership Program will subsidize construction of 169 new housing units in 11 projects across the state, MaineHousing announced.

The new builds will be a mix of condominiums and single-family homes in developments from Bangor to Sanford.

A total of 26 homes will be funded in two projects in Portland, 20 in Falmouth, and 16 in Rumford. Other projects are located in Monmouth, Waterville, Rockport, Boothbay and Kennebunkport, where the Neighborhood Housing Trust is creating six homes at Landon Woods.

“This program is putting affordable housing homeownership back in reach for hundreds of middle-income households,” said Dan Brennan, director of MaineHousing.

The $9.3 million is the last of the funds that had been appropriated by the legislature for this year. Since AHOP’s inception in 2023, the program has helped finance 325 affordable homes in 21 Maine communities.

Many affordable housing programs create rental housing. With subsidies in the form of forgivable loans, the state Affordable Homeownership Program offers incentives to build homes priced for households earning up to 120% of the area median income, which varies by county.

“This program has made home ownership possible for hundreds of Maine people, from families buying their first house to retirees looking to downsize while remaining in the communities they love,” said Greg Payne, senior housing adviser in the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. “This adds to Maine’s housing supply, while bolstering local economies."