Maine faces many challenges when it comes to affordable housing, including one of the highest gaps in the nation between what people earn and what rental rates they pay. Economic development experts see this as a top priority to attracting young people to Maine. Parts of Maine, like Portland, are seeing huge surges in housing

NEW HIRES Avesta Housing announced the following new hires: Marcella Bryant recently joined Avesta as the strategic planning and research officer. Bryant was previously the director of data and evaluation at The Community Builders in Boston, where she worked for eight years.   Michael L. Rayder joined Avesta as the associate director of development. Rayder most recently

Four New Hampshire affordable housing projects with a total of 133 units have been awarded a combined $6.7 million in grants and loans by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston. The support, awarded to four New Hampshire banks through the FHLB’s Affordable Housing Program, is part of $46.6 million in funding given to 47

More than $15.3 million in grants and loans have been awarded to help finance nine projects to provide affordable housing in Maine. The financing packages were announced Monday by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, a cooperative bank that provides financial housing aid in the six New England states. The FHLB announced the financing

PORTLAND — City officials know a 150-bed homeless shelter will not be built on the grounds of the Barron Center. But where it goes and how long it may take to develop partnerships for more specialized care for the city’s homeless remains unsettled. “This is a very good path we are on to reduce overall

Four local Portland businesses/organizations will be recognized on December 6 by the City of Portland and the Portland Development Corporation (PDC) at this year’s annual awards ceremony for their role in expanding the city’s economic vitality and quality of life. Avesta Housing will receive the 2018 Economic Development Achievement Award. Receiving the 2018 Business of the Year Award is Tilson Technology Management. Harbor Fish

PORTLAND — One planned emergency homeless shelter could become many, after city councilors on Tuesday were expected to continue to discuss how to replace the Oxford Street Shelter. The revised plan that could add city partnerships with Avesta Housing and the Opportunity Alliance to the new model is not enough for District 3 Councilor Brian

PORTLAND (WGME) — Portland city officials had two options Tuesday night: Approve one large homeless shelter with a capacity of up to 150 or build multiple smaller shelters. The city’s Health and Human Services Committee voted for one large new shelter, but the crowd seemed split on the issue. Those for the “megashelter” say it

SOUTH PORTLAND — The West End Neighborhood Master Plan, approved by the City Council last year, has won state and regional recognition for its effectiveness in promoting desired change. It was named the 2018 Outstanding Plan of the Year by the Maine Association of Planners and the Northern New England Chapter of the American Planning

SOUTH PORTLAND — Two apartment buildings that would create more than 100 units of subsidized and market-rate housing have been awarded a combined $14 million in critical funding through the Maine State Housing Authority. West End Apartments, a 64-unit building that’s being developed by Avesta Housing at 586 Westbrook St., will receive low-income housing tax