Senator Collins Announces $20.8 Million for Affordable Housing and Economic Development in Maine

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded a total of $20,817,298 to support affordable housing throughout the State of Maine.

“Maine’s housing authorities work to provide seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families with safe and affordable homes that promote their health, independence, and overall wellbeing,” said Senator Collins.  “As Chairman of the Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to work to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable individuals in our communities are met.”

The funding was awarded through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program, Housing Trust Fund (HTF), and HOME program and will be allocated as follows:

• Bangor will receive $837,680 through the CDBG program;

• MaineHousing will receive $1,352,454 through the ESG program, $4,060,519 through the HOME program, and $3,000,000 through the HTF program; and

• The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development will receive $11,566,645 through the CDBG program.

The CDBG program provides annual grants to states and local units of government to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. 

The ESG program provides annual grants to state, local, and private entities to assist people in quickly regaining stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness.  In addition to rapid re-housing and homelessness prevention, the ESG program also provides limited funding for street outreach as well as for improving the quality and number of emergency homeless shelters.

The HTF program provides grants to states to complement existing federal, state, and local efforts to increase and preserve the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing for extremely low- and very low-income households, including homeless families.

The HOME program helps to expand the supply of safe, affordable housing to low- and very low-income families by providing grants to states and local governments to fund housing programs that meet local needs and priorities.