Jennifer Hawkins recently stepped into her role as Avesta Housing’s new President & CEO. As she gets to know the organization and the region, we took a moment to ask her a few questions about her early impressions, what fuels her commitment to this work, and why she chose to make Avesta her next professional
The Dr. Milton Wedgewood House, a circa 1873 building and namesake of the new Choice Neighborhood affordable housing development in Lewiston, received an Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the Lewiston Historic Preservation Review Board on Aug. 7. The development, a partnership between Avesta Housing and Lewiston Housing, is part of the Lewiston Choice Neighborhood
When a community garden was proposed for Jordan Bay Place, an Avesta Housing affordable housing community for older adults in Raymond, Maine, Benny Beard was one of the first people to sign up. He organized volunteers, planned what should be planted and where, gathered soil and seaweed for fertilizer, and lovingly nurtured everything from corn
Last week, both sides of a newly renovated duplex in Gray hit the market for just $218,000 each. By Friday, over 100 people had started the application process. The duplex, located at 6A and 6B Collyer Brook Road, is the inaugural project for “A Path Forward — Homeownership for ME,” an Avesta Housing program designed
Avesta Housing, the largest nonprofit affordable housing provider in northern New England, has listed the first homes for sale under its A Path Forward—Homeownership for ME program. The move introduces a new line of business for the organization, which has primarily focused on developing affordable rental housing. Under the new program, the nonprofit is acquiring
The nonprofit developer Avesta Housing is purchasing vacant homes in disrepair, renovating them and then selling them at below-market rates as part of a new pilot initiative. More than 80 people have applied so far to purchase one of the first two completed homes; Avesta celebrated the completion of the two homes at a ribbon-cutting
Avesta Housing is featured in “A Summary of 2020 State Projects,” a new report issued by The National Housing Trust Fund (NHFT). The report documents the impact of the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) by summarizing how each state and the District of Columbia used $323 million in HTF funds allocated in 2020 for affordable housing,
Portland-based nonprofit Avesta Housing cut the ribbon this week on the first two homes for sale through a new program designed to help median-income wage earners achieve homeownership. Located at 6A and 6B Collyer Brook Road in the Cumberland County town of Gray, the first available properties are single-story houses with a shared driveway. Each
PHOTO: Avesta Housing staff and guests cut the ribbon on July 15 to 6A & 6B Collyer Brook Road in Gray, Maine, the first two properties for sale under Avesta’s new “A Path Forward” program for moderate-income homebuyers. L-R: Diane Donaldson, senior vice president/commercial banking team lead, Bangor Savings Bank; Eric Boucher, senior vice president
People are living longer and while there are many benefits to longevity, the collision of multiple aging generations is taking a toll on an already burdened housing system. Housing crises are happening throughout the nation, with older populations being some of the hardest hit. The demand for 55-plus housing and assisted living facilities is increasing
