Grant funding made possible through the FY23 Appropriations bill will support efforts to develop and preserve affordable housing, revitalize and sustain neighborhoods, and create jobs in Maine
Washington, March 2, 2023
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, today announced more than $1.2 million in grant funding for affordable housing efforts in Maine’s First Congressional District. Made possible through the Consolidated Appropriations Act for the 2023 Fiscal Year, the NeighborWorks America funding will support efforts to develop and preserve affordable housing, revitalize and sustain neighborhoods, and create jobs in Maine.
The grants are as follows:
Avesta Housing Development Corporation – $430,000
Coastal Enterprises, Inc. – $554,000
Kennebec Valley Community Action Program Housing Services – $259,000
“The affordable housing crisis in Maine is putting a tremendous strain on our communities. As rents and everyday costs continue to rise, organizations like Avesta, CEI, and Kennebec Valley Community Action Program Housing Services are working to help keep our neighbors housed and healthy,” said Pingree. “It’s more important than ever organizations like these get the federal support they need, and I am thrilled funding I helped secure through the Appropriations bill is being infused into our communities as we work towards long-term solutions to the nationwide housing crisis.”
“The Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP) is extremely grateful for our long-standing partnership with NeighborWorks America. For over 24 years, their investment has supported KVCAP’s mission to provide opportunities for individuals and families in the communities we serve to be economically stable and to thrive. NeighborWorks America funding is essential to the work we do to foster equity and enhance economic development,” said Suzanne Walsh, CEO of KVCAP. “KVCAP uses these critical funds to develop and maintain high-quality, affordable housing; help people reach goals through financial coaching; offer homeownership education and counseling; and strengthen communities.”
Avesta Housing President & CEO Rebecca Hatfield said, “We are thrilled to be a recipient of the NeighborWorks America grant. The need for safe, quality, affordable housing has never been greater, and these funds will help us continue our 50 years of work building and maintaining affordable housing for all people in need in Maine.”
“We are grateful for this award from NeighborWorks America. Because these funds are flexible, we are able to leverage them to support pragmatic, impactful projects that help build a more equitable, vibrant and climate-resilient future for Maine people and communities. And being a member of the NeighborWorks Network enables us to learn from our colleagues from around the country and to access training and other resources,” CEI CEO Betsy Biemann said.
NeighborWorks America is a public nonprofit organization, established by Congress in 1978 as the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (Public Law 95-557). It supports and enhances a network of nearly 250 local and regional nonprofit partner NeighborWorks organizations that bring together residents, private-sector business leaders, and representatives of local government to create communities of opportunity. For nearly 45 years, NeighborWorks America has supported local solutions to community development and affordable housing challenges in urban, suburban, and rural communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico by providing NeighborWorks organizations financial and grant support, training, technical assistance, organizational assessments, technology tools and other services.
In FY 2022, NeighborWorks America and the NeighborWorks network generated $10.8 billion in direct investment in communities across the country, providing 415,800 housing and counseling services, including:
18,800 homeowners created
13,200 quality, affordable rental homes developed
13,100 homes preserved through rehabilitation, counseling, and refinancing
72,600 homes repaired
204,900 quality, affordable rental homes owned and/or managed
105,300 families and individuals counseled on financial capability, pre-purchase, post-purchase, or foreclosure issues
10,900 training certificates issued
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