Maine Invests $315M in Housing Since 2019

Governor Janet Mills underscored her administration’s record $315 million investment in affordable housing during remarks at the Maine Housing 2025 Affordable Housing Conference in Bangor. Since 2019, the funding has produced 2,100 new apartments and homes, with 1,800 more under construction and 1,500 in the pipeline.

Mills pointed to the importance of housing access for both families and the state’s economy, while warning that federal tariffs on construction materials are driving up costs. “Thanks to the president’s tariffs on building materials, softwood lumber prices were nearly 6 percent higher at the end of August than they were one year ago,” Mills said. “Earlier this year, the cost of all construction materials — including for iron and steel — rose by nearly 10 percent.”

Housing Projects Across Maine

Recent financing announcements include:

• $13.4 million for 129 apartments in Portland and Lewiston, including senior housing in Portland’s Time and Temperature Building.
• $23.5 million to build 137 apartments across nine rural communities.
• $9.3 million for 125 single-family homes in communities such as Bangor, Rumford, and Sanford.

Several developments have also opened recently, including the Picker House Lofts in Lewiston with 72 renovated units and the Spinning Mill in Skowhegan, which added 41 apartments to a former industrial site.

“Maine has invested in affordable housing at levels that dwarf the combined efforts of all previous administrations,” said Dan Brennan, Director of MaineHousing, citing bipartisan support in the Legislature for funding and reforms.

Linking Housing and Economic Growth

The governor also met with local business leaders at Rize CoWorking in Bangor in a roundtable hosted by the Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC). “Governor Mills has been a steadfast champion for small businesses creating jobs and opportunities while preserving access to affordable healthcare,” said Lee Umphrey, EMDC President & CEO.

State Treasurer Joe Perry added that EMDC’s partnership with the administration on workforce and business initiatives “have contributed to Maine’s economic strength.”

Youth and Workforce Development

Later, Mills toured the Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Center at the University of Maine in Orono with Agriculture Commissioner Amanda Beal. The center, which reaches nearly 30,000 youth annually, provides STEM education, workforce training, and leadership development.

“Governor Mills and I were inspired by our visit to the Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Center in Orono,” Beal said. “This center reflects the spirit of the Year of Youth in Agriculture — fostering curiosity, creativity, and opportunity for Maine’s next generation.”

UMaine Extension Dean Hannah Carter emphasized that such programs are helping prepare students for careers in science and agriculture, adding: “We are grateful for the many sources of support, including those provided by Governor Mills and the Maine Legislature.”