Since Governor Mills took office in 2019, the Mills Administration has allocated more than $285 million to support the construction of homes in Maine, an unprecedented level of investment that has resulted in more than 600 new homes so far, with more than 1,000 homes under construction, and more than 3,000 homes in the construction pipeline at MaineHousing – the largest number in the agency’s history.
The Mills Administration, with bipartisan support of the Legislature, has also delivered significant funding for emergency housing needs across Maine. Every person in Maine should have the opportunity to have warm, safe, and secure place to call home; the Mills Administration remains strongly committed to working closely with communities, regional organizations, and statewide partners to look for solutions to housing and homelessness in Maine.
On April 22, 2024, the supplemental budget signed by Governor Mills and approved by the Legislature included an additional $30 million to build more than 260 new homes in Maine, through $10 million to the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program, $10 million to leverage Federal low-income housing tax credits, and $10 million for single-family home construction through the Affordable Homeownership Program.
Other housing actions by the Administration include:
- Delivering Significant Funding for Emergency Housing: In 2024, Governor MIlls and the Legislature authorized $21 million for the Emergency Housing Relief Fund to ensure that winter warming shelters, lower barrier shelters, longer term shelters and transitional housing programs can remain open, operating, and supporting the emergency housing needs of Maine people. This builds on $55 million in previous investments by the Governor and Legislature through the fund to support more than 75 housing programs and 7,000 Maine people in need statewide.
- Investing in More Affordable Housing for Low and Middle Income Families: Governor Mills signed into law the Maine Affordable Housing Tax Credit, the single largest state investment in housing in Maine’s history, and broke ground on the first major housing project resulting from that law. In addition, the Governor Mills also authorized the refinancing of existing housing bonds, creating over $38m in new financing for affordable housing development across the State.
- Investing in Workforce Housing for Maine People: Governor Mills invested $50 million of federal funds from her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to increase the supply of affordable housing for low and moderate-income households to purchase or rent. This investment is expected to create at least 600 affordable homes in urban, suburban and rural areas of the state.
- Building More Affordable Housing for Maine Seniors: Governor Mills signed into law a $15 million senior housing bond, which has resulted in nine new senior housing developments across Maine that provide more than 400 affordable apartments for Maine seniors.
- Addressing Zoning Restrictions To Promote Affordable Housing: Governor Mills signed into law LD 2003 and LD 201, bipartisan legislation which will help ensure Maine’s housing supply can meet growing demand.
- Provided Critical Support to Address Homelessness: Governor Mills dedicated $10 million in federal funding under her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan for grants to support existing emergency homeless shelters. She also allocated $1.5m for housing navigators to help people find local housing opportunities and to promote successful landlord-tenant relationships.
- Joined A National Partnership to End Homelessness: Governor Mills joined with the Biden Administration to launch House America, a new national partnership to tackle homelessness. Governor Mills affirmed Maine’s commitment to use Federal funds to house 1,000 people experiencing homelessness and add 500 affordable housing units to the state’s pipeline.
For more actions taken by the Mills Administration to address housing and homelessness, please click here (PDF).