Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME) today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $3,966,400 in funding to Eastern Area Agency on Aging and $4,282,700 to Volunteers of America Northern New England (VOANNE) for supportive housing for the elderly.
“Ensuring that we adequately care for our elderly citizens should be a primary concern for communities throughout the state,” said Senators Snowe and Collins. “The elderly housing that will be built in Bucksport and Topsham thanks to the efforts of Eastern Area Agency on Aging and VOANNE will contribute greatly to the quality of life of many older citizens. These projects can also serve as positive examples for other towns in Maine .”
Eastern Area Agency on Aging will develop 26 units of elderly housing in Bucksport, Maine . The Town of Bucksport has donated the property, a former junior high school, to them. In addition, they have applied for and received a $30,000 pre-development loan and a Capacity Enhancement Grant of $30,000 from the Maine State Housing Authority to support activities related to this project, as well as to increase the capacity of Eastern Area Agency on Aging as an organization.
Volunteers of America Northern New England (VOANNE) will develop 27 units of housing for the elderly and one unit for a resident manager in Topsham, Maine . Shopping, religious institutions, and banking are all located within a mile from the site. VOANNE has a great deal of experience working with HUD. They have developed several elderly projects in Maine and were recently awarded a similar grant in 2004 for a project in Loudon, New Hampshire that is currently under development.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds private housing developments to assist in housing opportunities for low-income residents. HUD provides rental assistance to approximately 1.5 million low-income households. It also funds community revitalization projects to meet local needs and expand opportunities for Americans.