Eviction court cases can resume in Maine on August 3. A recent U.S. Census survey found 9% of Maine residents (29,000 people) could not pay rent in June, and 14% of renters (43,000) expressed concern about being able to pay their July rent. To try to stave off a major eviction crisis, Governor Mills has announced that Maine will be supplementing Maine’s rental assistance program with an additional $5 million in order to double monthly payments. We will hear from two Maine Public Housing Authorities about the scope of the problem, what kind of impact the $5 million will make and where people can turn for help. We’ll also hear from a landlord and tenants’ organizations, and learn about the challenges of providing more affordable housing.