Rent has become unaffordable for nearly half of all Maine tenants, according to new data from Harvard University. A study published Wednesday by the university’s Joint Center for Housing Studies indicates that 41.1 percent of tenants in the state are cost-burdened by rent, with almost 20 percent being “severely” cost-burdened. Click here to read the

The housing authority in Maine, MaineHousing, estimates that Maine is between 20,000 and 25,000 affordable units short of what we need. That estimate is based on a couple of things, including the waiting list for Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) tenants and an annual survey of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which does a

With affordable housing hard to come by in Maine, it’s led some to get creative. Wednesday night, Avesta Housing cut the ribbon on new affordable apartments built in an old office building. The housing project is giving nearly 100 people an affordable place to live in the heart of downtown Portland. Click here to read

Avesta Housing will host a grand opening celebration of Deering Place, a new 75-unit affordable housing development in downtown Portland, at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 22. The event is free and open to the public. The grand opening celebration will be held at 510 Cumberland Ave. and will feature guest speakers, refreshments, giveaways, and more.