$15 Million for Community Housing of Maine McAuley Residence Secured by Senator Collins

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $15 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for Community Housing of Maine’s request to expand the McAuley Residence program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill.   Congress has passed the bill, and the President has signed it into law.  

“Transitional housing recovery programs offered by Community Housing of Maine are crucial to helping individuals break the cycle of addiction,” said Senator Collins.  “As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I worked hard to secure this funding, which will help provide housing to those in need and support the push toward an addiction free Maine.” 

“This funding will allow a statewide collaborative strategy to bring housing and comprehensive recovery services to women and their children in distant corners of Maine, filling an enormous void, saving lives, and rebuilding families,” said Executive Director of Community Housing of Maine Expansion Cullen Ryan.  “Expansion of this proven model, which involves a two-generational trauma-informed approach, will allow people access to vital recovery services and foundational access to housing.  We are extremely grateful for Senator Collins’ leadership in ensuring healthcare and housing are available for people in need.”

The McAuley Residence, a two-generational program with housing for families affected by substance use disorder, is currently located in both Cumberland and Penobscot Counties.  Funding for this request will allow Community Housing of Maine to expand the program to new locations across the state, including Aroostook, Hancock, Oxford, and York Counties.

This funding is part of the 231 targeted investments Senator Collins secured through the FY2024 appropriations process, driving more than $577 million to Maine for projects throughout each of Maine’s 16 counties.

In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins secured more than $500 million for hundreds of Maine projects for FY2022 and FY2023.  As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championingtargeted investments that willbenefit Maine communities.  

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