March 15, 2023
Older Mainers are facing an unprecedented crisis in the availability of affordable housing options in the community where people want to age. On March 15, more than 80 participants joined us to explore the issues. Although the focus was on affordable home repair options and ADUs, we also covered a number of other projects.
Click here to view the recording of our call
Click here to download the presentation handout
These were our special guests for the day.
Noel Bonam, (nbonam@aarp.org) Maine State Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
Ryan Fecteau (Ryan.Fecteau@maine.gov) Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and Future
Judy East (Judith.C.East@maine.gov), Maine Bureau of Resource Information and Land Use Planning
Rhiannon Hampson (rhiannon.hampson@usda.gov), State Director, USDA Rural Development maine
Jason Bird (jbird@penquis.org), Housing Development & MaineStream Financing, Penquis
Sharon Norris (SNorris@penquis.org), Deputy Director, Housing and Energy Services, Penquis
Lisa Joyce (ljoyce@southportland.org), Co-Chair, Age-Friendly South Portland
Eli Rubin (erubin@southportland.org), Community Planner City of South Portland
Sharon Brobst (sbrobst@bathsavings.bank), VP – Retail Lending, Bath Savings Institute (financing an ADU)
Jean Saunders (Saundersjean75@gmail.com), Chair, Age-Friendly Saco
Housing Workshop Resources:
Lifelong Maine Housing Workshop, List of Resources--thus includes information about the USDA Rural Development Programs, Community Action Partnerships, financial resources listed by Sharon Brobst, AARP publications, articles of interest (including a few about volunteer home repair programs), and more.
Staying Warm Safe and Dry materials (a program that links professional tradespeople with residents who need help to maintain their homes. The program has both a free component and, for those who can pay, provides a curated list of tradespeople who have agreed to participate in the program).
Building Community Together: Resource sheet developed by Maine State Housing, Community Aging in Place Program, and Efficiency Maine to connect residents to programs that can help them stay in their homes.
Community Action Partnership Brochure, Home Accessibility and Repair Programs.
Resources shared in chat (click here to view the full chat):
Ryan Fecteau:
Here is a guidance doc on LD 2003: https://www.maine.gov/decd/sites/maine.gov.decd/files/inline-files/DECD_LD%202003_digital.pdf
Can't get enough of ADUs? I will be joining Backyard ADUs at Bunker Brewing in Portland on March 29th to talk a ton more about them. Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-current-state-of-adus-in-maine-in-person-event-tickets-536198061837
Judy East:
The Housing Opportunity Program https://www.maine.gov/decd/housingopportunityprogram will have a grant available soon to assist towns with updating their ordinances to adapt to the new rules in LD 2003.
Judy also shared links to a number of housing resources available from AARP. To order single or multiple copies of any of these award-winning publications, go to: https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/tool-kits-resources/library/
Elizabeth Gattine (Senior Policy Analyst, Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and Future, Coordinator of the Cabinet on Aging):
People may also want to look at the Maine State Housing website about the State's Maine Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF) which can help with a variety of expenses at https://haf.mainehousing.org/
The public is invited to attend all of the Cabinet on Aging meetings. The next meeting will be held on March 30, 3:30-5:00. Information about registering is on the website.