AUGUSTA – The Maine Association of REALTORS Foundation, the charitable arm of Maine Association of REALTORS, has awarded $140,000 through its 2024 Competitive Grant Program to 16 organizations to address a variety of housing needs across Maine. The grants funded from the REALTOR Affordable Housing Fund offer non-profit organizations assistance in helping Maine’s most vulnerable households with providing meaningful housing solutions, according to a news release from the foundation.

The following organizations each received a $10,000 grant:

1. Bangor Area Homeless Shelter (Bangor) to assist with shelter operations to address the growing issue of homelessness.

2. Boothbay Region Housing Trust (West Boothbay Harbor) to insulate the workforce homes being built in the area.

3. Caring Unlimited (Sanford) to expand emergency domestic violence shelter capacity and provide emergency assistance to help clients avoid homelessness.

4. Community Care (Bangor) to provide rental assistance for youth experiencing homelessness to secure both temporary and permanent housing.

5. Habitat for Humanity 7 Rivers (Bath) for materials and job site costs for critical home repairs for income-eligible homeowners.

6. H.O.M.E., Inc. (Orland) to renovate an apartment to expand transitional housing available at the Sister Barbara Hance House.

7. Homeworthy (formerly Knox County Homeless Coalition) (Rockland) for the final construction phase of Talbot Avenue community housing development providing affordable housing for families.

8. Mission at the Eastward (Farmington) to purchase building tools and materials to conduct critical home repairs for low-income individuals and families.

9. New Beginnings (Lewiston) to maintain safe, suitable 24-hour emergency shelter for low-income youth experiencing homelessness.

10. Preble Street (Portland) to support Teen Housing Services, helping youth experiencing homelessness find safety and stability.

11. Rural Community Action Ministry (Leeds) to provide support services for low-income rural families: Homeless prevention, Housing First priorities.

12. The Northern Lighthouse (Presque Isle) to provide emergency shelter and transitional living program services to homeless youths ages 10-21.

The following organizations each received a $5,000 grant:

13. Community Housing Improvement Project (CHiP) (Newcastle) for materials to repair homes and roofs as part of their home repair program.

14. Deborah Lincoln House (Belfast) to upgrade the heating system to include heat pumps for residents’ rooms.

15. Safe Voices (Auburn) to assist with paying initial security and utility deposits for survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking and sexual exploitation to transition to stable housing.

16. The Opportunity Alliance (South Portland) to provide rent and security deposits to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through its Cumberland County Homeless Prevention program.

According to Ashlee Simpson Black, 2024 Chair of the Maine Association of REALTORS® Foundation, 2022 Realtor® of the Year, and Broker at The Simpson Team at Realty of Maine in Bangor, “I continue to be amazed at how the REALTORS® in Maine give back to the communities that we live in, work in, and that have made us who we are. Affordable housing has always been a concern, but in recent years it has become increasingly apparent that those of us that can do something, must do something to fix the crisis. The Foundation exists to ease some of the financial burden of those organizations that are the boots on the ground. We at the Maine Association of REALTORS® Foundation are honored to distribute grants this year to 16 nonprofit organizations that uniquely address the housing crisis in their community to help the people of Maine have safe shelter. Thank you all for that you do!”

The REALTORS Affordable Housing Fund was established in 1989 and derives its revenue from interest earnings paid by financial institutions on real estate trust accounts administered by REALTOR offices across Maine.

Since 1991, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.6 million in Competitive Program grants to address affordable housing needs.

For more information about this program, email foundation@mainerealtors.com.

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