Public-private project in Madison will create affordable rental housing for 36 families, help growing employers in Madison and Skowhegan
Madison, MAINE – Governor Janet Mills today joined community leaders in Madison to break ground on a new housing development supported by her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, which is designed to expand the availability of rental homes for workers and families in central Maine and support economic growth in the region.
The project, 55 Weston Avenue, was made possible by initial funding of $2.9 million from the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program, a $20 million initiative of the Governor’s Jobs Plan. This week marks two years since the law enacting the Governor’s Jobs Plan took effect. When complete, the development anticipates to create a total of 36 units of affordable rental homes for employees of growing Maine employers such as New Balance and TimberHP in coming years. The first 18 units are expected to be complete by late spring.
Through the Governor’s Jobs Plan, the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program is now supporting housing investments in seven communities that are expected to create more than 100 homes. With additional funding of $35 million from Governor Mills and the Legislature in the biennial budget this year, the program is now expected to create a total of more than 300 homes across the state.
Since Governor Mills took office in 2019, her Administration has invested $285 million to incentivize the building of more housing, resulting in 618 new homes, with 1,126 homes under construction, and 2,187 more homes in the pipeline. By comparison, from 2000 to 2018, the State of Maine only invested $65 million in affordable housing.
“Innovative businesses are creating good-paying jobs in Madison and Skowhegan, but too many workers and job seekers are struggling to find a nearby home or apartment they can afford. This exciting project, made possible by an investment from my Jobs plan, will enable dozens of Maine families to make their home in Madison and help businesses like New Balance and TimberHP find the workers they need to sustain their promising growth,” said Governor Janet Mills. “My Administration will continue to work to increase the availability of comfortable, affordable housing options across Maine.”
"Business investment in Maine communities attracts additional investment, as we are seeing with this critical housing development in Madison," said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development. "This, in turn, is helpful to Maine people, Maine businesses, and the continued growth of our economy."
Project developers Sam Hight, Brian Eng, and Kara Wilbur are expected to create 18 units and two buildings during phase one through the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program, which is administered by MaineHousing, and anticipate creating 18 additional units and a public park in the years ahead. The project was spearheaded by former Madison Town Manager Tim Curtis and is the result of significant community input.
Governor Mills and community leaders break ground on the 55 Weston Avenue project in Madison.
“Our partnership with the Town of Madison, the State of Maine, MaineHousing, and ultimately, our local contractors have allowed this project to be economically feasible,” said Sam Hight, a project partner on the development. “Considering the current housing material market, interest rate landscape, and general uncertainty, we are very fortunate to have the ability to build and provide 18 affordable homes to a rural Maine community undergoing economic growth. Without the funding from the state and the financing from MaineHousing, it would be difficult and nearly impossible to be at this exciting moment."
“This development highlights what can be done when practical ideas are matched with local enthusiasm,” said MaineHousing Director Daniel Brennan. “It creates a type of much-needed housing that fits well in the neighborhood and will be a vital economic asset for the people of Madison for decades to come and is a great example of the kind of investments envisioned by the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program when it was created under the governor’s Jobs Plan.”
In June, Governor Mills joined U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King to break ground on a $65 million expansion at New Balance’s Skowhegan facility that will double production capabilities and create 200 new jobs.
In July, the Governor helped cut the ribbon on TimberHP in Madison, North America’s first-ever manufacturer of wood fiber insulation. TimberHP expects to ultimately create 120 jobs but has indicated that the ability to attract qualified workers will determine its ability to scale.
The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is Governor Janet Mills’ plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people, support businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for prosperity.
In the coming weeks, Governor Mills will highlight investments from her Jobs Plan improve the availability of child care, help Maine businesses expand to new markets, and help people find good-paying careers through apprenticeship opportunities with Maine employers.
Earlier this week, the Mills Administration released a new report and online dashboard detailing how Jobs Plan initiatives have delivered $175 million to thousands of Maine businesses, created workforce opportunities for 25,000 people, and invested in more than 400 infrastructure projects statewide to bolster childcare, broadband, energy efficiency and weatherization, housing, and more.
Under Governor Mills’ leadership, Maine’s gross domestic product is growing at the 11th best rate in the nation. The unemployment rate has dropped to a near record low of 2.5 percent, which is below both the New England and U.S. rates, with Maine’s total employment reaching a near record high of 646,800 filled jobs in August 2023, higher than the pre-pandemic average for calendar year 2019.
For more about the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, please visit maine.gov/jobsplan.