Governor Mills Announces $50 Million from Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to Expand Housing Opportunities for Maine People

Press Release

Governor Janet Mills today announced a $50 million investment from her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to build more housing and help more Maine people families find a safe, affordable place to call home.

Maine's chronic housing shortage has been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. In December, Maine's median single-family home sale price was $299,000, a 38 percent increase over the median price of $216,900 in February 2020.

Rising housing prices have impacted the affordability of homebuying and renting in Maine, which has hampered the efforts of communities to attract and retain families and of employers seeking workers to fill critical local jobs.

Funding for this initiative is through the Federal American Rescue Plan Act dedicated through Governors' Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan. An initial $10 million is now available through MaineHousing, which is estimated to support at least 150 new affordable single-family homes. The additional $40 million for housing will become available later this year, when the second part of federal ARPA funds become available.

"A home is more than brick and beams. It's a place where you lay your head at night, where you raise your kids, where you get ready for work and where you pay your bills. The pandemic has put the price of homes, and the dream of home ownership, out of reach for too many hardworking families. It's time we fixed that," said Governor Mills. "By building more housing across Maine, more families will be able to realize the dream of having a safe, affordable place to live in the communities that they love."

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