Housing
Note: Below, and throughout our site, underlined text indicates a live link.
Photo from FRAME photo contest
Housing is a critical issue in the State of Maine and throughout our nation. In 2023, Our March 15 workshop started a conversation about housing that was continued during our October 16 Housing Matters conference. Lifelong Community leaders, housing advocates, legislators, government agencies, and area housing non-profits discussed Maine’s housing challenges and opportunities, including:
municipal policy to increase access to appropriate, affordable housing options for every stage of life
community approaches to make homes safer and more convenient for aging
innovative housing solutions such as home sharing and tiny homes, and more!
Below are highlights from each meeting, including handouts and presentations, when available. Our hope is that you will find resources and inspiration as you advocate for housing options in your community and develop programs and services to help residents thrive in their homes.
Note: Below and throughout our website, underlined text indicates an active link.
Yarmouth Cares About Neighbors,
Volunteers Building Raised Bed Garden Beds
Strategies to Promote Affordable, Right-Sized Housing
Age-Friendly Bar Harbor: promotes alternative housing options, including homesharing, and regional services, such as Maine State Housing Authority's Community Aging in Place Program to make homes safe and convenient
Age-Friendly Communities of the Lower Kennebec: developed a multimedia package about ADUs, including a guidebook and a video series, and produced a program that is shown on their public access station
Age-Friendly Coastal Communities (Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle/Stonington): works with a number of partners, including a "Village", At Home Downeast, which offers home-based services to help people age in their home of choice
Spring Spruce-Up Day in Age-Friendly Houlton
Home Repair & Chores Programs
Age-Friendly Houlton: provided yard clean-up help to older residents during their Spring Spruce-Up Day
Age-Friendly Mount Vernon: created a Tool Library so older residents can borrow tools needed for home repairs and projects
The Grateful Undead: finds volunteers to help older residents with minor repairs, snow shoveling, and simple home modifications
Thriving in Place, Age-Friendly Sanford: developed a volunteer network to help residents with small home chores--inside and out
Aging Well in Waldo County: partnered with their local Masonic Lodges to provide minor home repairs and connect residents who need more extensive work to Waldo County CAP
Living Well in North Yarmouth
Knox Box Installation
Making Homes Safe and Comfortable for All Stages of Life
Age-Friendly Community Initiative (Bethel region): provides free in-home assessments by a licensed Occupational Therapist
Age-Friendly Georgetown: partnered with a local organization and the fire department to install 5-inch reflective numbers that ensure homes can be found easily when there is an emergency
Age-Friendly Saco: installs smart technology in private homes to help older residents live safely and comfortably with a little help from "Alexa".
Window Insert Build in Age-Friendly Saco
Age-Friendly South Portland
Volunteer Shoveling Program
Home Weatherization and Winter Safety
Age-Friendly Bowdoinham: distributed winter safety kits to older residents
Age-Friendly Caribou: delivers buckets of sand to keep winter walkways safe
China for a Lifetime: developed a community wood pile and will stack wood for people who need help
Age-Friendly Madison: teamed with Age-Friendly Jackman to partner with Window Dressers, Crossroads church, and volunteers from the community, schools, and businesses to build 100 inserts that help older residents stay warm during the winter months
Age-Friendly Portland: matches neighborhood volunteers with residents aged 65+ who need help shoveling the primary entrance to their home and teh sidewalk in front of their property
Property Tax Abatement Programs
Age-Friendly Sullivan: created a guide to available programs for homeowners
Age-Friendly South Portland: presented a video guide to new property tax stabilization rules on the community TV channel
Additional Resources...
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all programs, services, and activities developed in Housing but is a sampling of approaches adopted by lifelong communities. We update this section regularly to highlight the many strategies implemented in Maine communities.