Social Housing Task Force — Portland, ME
Date: 2026-01-28
Time: 18:00

SOCIAL HOUSING TASK MEMBERS
 City Councilor Kate Sykes, Co-Chair
FORCE City Councilor Sarah Michniewicz
 Paul Styslinger
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 6:00 PM Bill Stauffer
 Jason Spector
Via Zoom Cat Buxton
 Wendy Cherubini
 Cullen Ryan
 Matthew Peters
 Kristin Leffler
 Jon Fetherston, Co-Chair
 Jonathan Culley
 Tim Wells



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AGENDA:

1. Welcome and Introductions - Kate Sykes, City Councilor and Task Force Co-Chair

 Portland Housing Authority Partnership Opportunities - Presented by Leah Bruns,
2. Interim Executive Director, Portland Housing Authority and Jay Waterman, Director
 of Real Estate Development, Portland Housing Development Corporation

3. Task Force Members Discussion and Questions




 2

Portland Housing Authority: Overview
Data as of October 9, 2025
  About the
 Portland
 Housing
Authority (PHA)
Mission Statement:
PHA partners with the community to
provide and expand affordable
housing and services that improve
quality of life, enhance safety, and
promote personal success for the
people we serve and the
neighborhoods in which they reside.

Services & Community Alignment:
PHA offers long-term affordable
housing and rental assistance to over
3,000 low-income families, seniors, and
disabled individuals, serving nearly
10% of Portland’s population and 30%
of the Public School population.
 7 Member Board – Overseeing 4 primary
 entities


 107 FTE, 7 PTE positions


PHA Staffing
 Structure 2 Unions (ASCME & Teamsters)



 Undergoing Asset Repositioning for all Public
 Housing sites (767 units 15 Properties
 converted/568 units 5 properties remaining)
Our Primary Entities
 PHA
  Federal • Legal Basis: The Portland Housing Authority
 (PHA) operates under the U.S. Housing Act of
 1937, overseen and funded by HUD.
Authority • HUD assigns PHAs (Code ME003) to manage
 public housing and Section 8 in specific areas.
 • PHA has federal authority to develop and
 manage affordable housing and rental assistance
 in Portland, Maine.
 Enabling Legislation:
 Under Maine law, municipalities can establish local
 housing authorities via a city resolution.
 • In 1943, the Portland City Council created the
PHA State Portland Housing Authority as an autonomous
 public organization.
Authority • While operating independently, the housing
  (Maine authority addresses the public housing needs of
 the city and adjoining jurisdiction.
 Law) State Relationship:
 PHA functions separately from MaineHousing.
 • MaineHousing oversees housing finance and
 policy at the state level.
 • PHA is responsible for managing local HUD
 programs and housing services within Portland.
 • Although they collaborate on funding, each
 maintains distinct responsibilities and governing
 boards.
 • Maine has 23 local housing Authorities + 1 State
 Housing Authority
 • Formation and Governance: The Portland Housing
 Authority (PHA) was created by the Portland City
 PHA Council to carry out federal and local housing
Municipal initiatives. Though it functions independently, it
 serves as the City's designated public housing
Authority agent, with its board members appointed by the
 City Council to ensure proper oversight.
  (City of
Portland) • Collaboration at the Local Level: PHA works in
 partnership with various City departments such as
 Housing and Economic Development, Planning, and
 Community Development to coordinate policies and
 advance the City’s objectives related to housing and
 homelessness.
 Area of Coverage

The PHA's jurisdiction • New Gloucester • And the following
covers the following cities • North Yarmouth Islands:
and towns: • Old Orchard Beach – Chebeague island
• Buxton • Portland – Frye Island
• Cape Elizabeth • Pownal – Long Island
• Cumberland • Raymond – Peaks Island
• Dayton • Scarborough
• Falmouth • South Portland
• Freeport • Standish
• Hollis • Westbrook
• Gorham • Windham
• Gray • Yarmouth
 Units Overview

The total PHA population is 5,270
 For comparison – Avesta Housing serves 4704
residents across units.



PHA Public Housing and RAD/LIHTC For comparison Lewiston Housing Authority has
properties = 1,335 units. 466, Westbrook Housing @ 500, SPHA @600




Voucher Programs (Housing Choice, For Comparison LHA 914 Leased, WHA 953, SPHA
Project-Based, EHV, etc.) 2,136 Leased. 739




About 80% of the PHA community receive assistance via voucher programs.
 “Project-Based”
Vouchers Assisting Our
 Partners in Portland


• Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs)
 provide rental subsidies linked to
 specific housing units, not tenants.
 The housing authority pays part of the
 rent directly to landlords, and tenants
 must live in the assigned unit to
 receive assistance. PBVs often help
 vulnerable groups and providers who
 seek to assist them in financing
 housing developments.
 Some of our 35 PBV Partners
155 Danforth
PHDC
Branigan House (Shalom)
Croquet Lane (Shalom)
Equinox, Holly St, St. John St., Winding Way, Winter Landing (CHOM)
Florence House, Huston Commons & Logan Place (Avesta/Preble)
Iris Park (Iris Network)
Yale Court
Wessex Woods
Strive
Porter Station
Supporting Units for Specialty
Populations

POPULATION TYPE PROJEC TS SERVI NG NOTES

 Includes “55+” project
Elderly 18 Projects
 preference

 Some overlap with
Disabled 23 Projects
 Elderly/Families

 Includes refugee families and
Families 14 Projects
 special needs families


 Units vary per project (range 2–
Homeless Set-aside 14 Projects 30 units)



Homeless Set-Aside Total Units
Total Homeless / Supportive Housing PBV Units: 114
Demographics: Gender, Race, <20
 RAD LIPH VO Portland
 Maine (2021
 ACS)
 Female 51 54 55 34817
 Male 49 46 45 33246
 Female Headed 181 (50%) 308 (59%) 1313 (61%) 2964 (10%)
 Total Residents 629 1315 4216 68063
 Residents <20 yo 192 (31%) 330 (64%) 1412 (33%) @11,625
 (17%)
 White 325 (51%) 640 (49%) 2687 (64%) 54500 (80%)
 Black/AA 207 (33%) 527 (40%) 1298 (31%) 6050 (9%)
 Asian 93 (15%) 142 (11%) 202 (5%) 2170 (3%)
 Other (American Indian, 1% 1% 1% .4%
 Alaskan Native, Native
 Hawaiian or Pacific
 Islander)
Demographics: Disabled, Household Size

 RAD LIPH VO Portland Maine
 (2021 ACS)


Disabled 36% 31% 37% 13%
Non-Disabled 64% 69% 63% 87%
Elderly (65+) 30% 17% 20% 15%
 Household size (number of people in the Household)
1 249 (69%) 233 (43%) 1321 (61%) 13627 (40%)
2 43 (12%) 107 (21%) 322 (15%) 9164 (27%)
3 23 (6%) 59 (11%) 211 (11%) 5651 (17%)
4 20 (6%) 55 (11%) 146 (7%) 4127 (12%)
5 15 (4%) 29 (6%) 72 (3%) 1602 (5%)
6 5 (1%) 15 (3%) 47 (2%) 477 (1%)
7+ 5 (1%) 28 (5%) 44 (2%) 102 (.3%)
 Demographics: Income and Poverty
 Levels
 RAD LIPH VO Portland
 Maine (2021
 ACS)
Average HH NA $24,308 $20,072 $83,399
Gross Income
% of HH below NA 55% 62% 9%
2024 Federal
Poverty
Guideline
 Summary and Insights
PHA serves 5,270 residents; majority via voucher programs.




LIPH residents have lowest incomes and highest racial and citizenship diversity and highest
percentage of people <20 yo.



Voucher participants have higher earnings and smaller households.




Disability and elderly representation consistent (≈20–37%). PHA serves more single parent
households, disabled households, and households experiencing poverty than the city population
as a whole.
 Total Families: 21,506

Waiting for Income Levels:
 • Extremely Low Income: 18,547 (86.24%)
Affordable • Very Low Income: 2,471 (11.49%)
 • Low Income: 395 (1.84%)
 Housing • Over Income: 93 (0.43%)

 Choice Family Type:

 Vouchers: • Families with Children: 7,041 (32.74%)
 • Elderly Families: 3,425 (15.93%)

 Statewide • Families with Disabilities: 9,764 (45.40%)
 • One Household Member: 11,901 (55.34%)
 Summary Race/Ethnicity:
 • White: 17,002 (79.06%)
 • Black or African American: 3,541 (16.47%)
 • Asian: 364 (1.69%)
 • Alaska Native or American Indian: 729 (3.39%)
 • Pacific Islander: 116 (0.54%)
 • Hispanic or Latino: 1,743 (8.10%)

 Locality:
 • Live Local: 2,614 (12.15%)
 • Work Local: 1,339 (6.23%)
 Total Families: 3,297

 Income Levels:
 • Extremely Low Income: 2,462 (74.67%)
Waiting for • Very Low Income: 672 (20.38%
 • Low Income: 139 (4.22%)
  Housing • Over Income: 24 (0.73%)

 Choice Family Type:

 Vouchers: • Families with Children: 978 (29.66%)
 • Elderly Families: 556 (16.86%)

  Portland • Families with Disabilities: 1,317 (39.95%)
 • One Household Member: 1,972 (59.81%)
Applicants Race/Ethnicity:
 • White: 2,405 (72.95%)
 • Black or African American: 651 (19.75%)
 • Asian: 104 (3.15%)
 • Alaska Native or American Indian: 70 (2.12%)
 • Pacific Islander: 13 (0.39%)
 • Hispanic or Latino: 197 (5.98%)

 Locality:
 • Live Local: 2,614 (79.28%)
 • Work Local: 1,339 (40.61%)
State Local
Total Families: 21,506 Total Families: 3,297

Income Levels: Income Levels:
 • Extremely Low Income: 18,547 (86.24%) • Extremely Low Income: 2,462 (74.67%) (-
 • Very Low Income: 2,471 (11.49%) 11.57)
 • Low Income: 395 (1.84%) • Very Low Income: 672 (20.38%) (+8.89)
 • Over Income: 93 (0.43%) • Low Income: 139 (4.22%) (+2.38)
 • Over Income: 24 (0.73%) (+.30%)
Family Type:
 • Families with Children: 7,041 (32.74%) Family Type:
 • Elderly Families: 3,425 (15.93%) • Families with Children: 978 (29.66%) (-3.08)
 • Families with Disabilities: 9,764 (45.40%) • Elderly Families: 556 (16.86%) (+.93)
 • One Household Member: 11,901 (55.34%) • Families with Disabilities: 1,317 (39.95%) (-
 5.45)
Race/Ethnicity: • One Household Member: 1,972 (59.81%)
 • White: 17,002 (79.06%) (+4.47)
 • Black or African American: 3,541 (16.47%)
 • Asian: 364 (1.69%) Race/Ethnicity:
 • Alaska Native or American Indian: 729 (3.39%) • White: 2,405 (72.95%) (-6.11)
 • Pacific Islander: 116 (0.54%) • Black or African American: 651 (19.75%)
 • Hispanic or Latino: 1,743 (8.10%) (+3.28)
 • Asian: 104 (3.15%) (+1.46)
 • Alaska Native or American Indian: 70 (2.12%) (-
 1.27)
 • Pacific Islander: 13 (0.39%) (-.15)
 • Hispanic or Latino: 197 (5.98%) (-2.12)
Waiting for Public Housing
Waiting
for PHA
Non-PH
 Portland Housing Development Corporation
 (PHDC) At a Glance 501(c)4 non-profit development entity for
 PHA
 Development Activity
 2014 -2025
300 new construction units
338 renovated affd. units
334 current public housing units
169 Section 8 Program housing
226 Non-LIHTC/Non-PH units
1,367 TOTAL Owned/Managed
units

New units in Pipeline: 319
Renovation Units in Pipeline: 569
Units under construction: 330
 Front Street Ph 1
 Sagamore Village
 Sample “Capital Stack”

 2015 2025
 Bayside Anchor – 45 family apartments 9 Boyd St. (COMB Block) – 55 family apartments
Sources: Sources:
MaineHousing subsidy - $ 645,725 MaineHousing subsidy - $ 1,000,000
MaineHousing debt - $1,550,788 MaineHousing debt - $11,252,428
City Fed HOME - $ 500,000 City HTF - $ 650,000
LIHTC equity - $5,061,538 FHLB AHP subsidy - $2,000,000
Solar ITC equity - $ 42,642 LIHTC equity - $11,341,682
 TOTAL - $7,800,694 Deferred Dev. Fee - $ 500,000
 DECD Loan - $ 250,000
 TOTAL - $26,958,459

Construction Cost / SF: $156 Construction Cost / SF: $324

Total Dev. Cost / unit: $173,348 Total Dev. Cost / unit: $490,802

City subsidy (non-TIF)/unit: $11,110 City subsidy / unit: $11,818


 Sagamore Village
 PHA/PHDC Land Status

• Before conversions: Declaration of Trust by HUD restricts use to
  public housing – no mortgages / financing (80% AMI restriction)
• Re-Positioning: Under HUD’s Disposition Program PHDC owns land
  with a Restrictive Use Covenant. All properties permanently
  affordable, even after tax credit use restrictions expire (80% AMI in
  perpetuity; LIHTC 60% AMI for 45 years (in perpetuity))
• Last conversions:
 – Franklin Towers – September 2026 (200 units to be renovated with a
 lot split for future development)
 – East Bayside – 5-10 years (134 units with potential for hundreds more
 under RE-CODE)
 – Other scattered sites with underutilized land
• Other opportunities:
 – Local “preservation” deals (saving existing “affordable” housing)
 – New construction projects in the works
Recent Projects & Next Steps




 Riverton Harbor Terrace Sagamore Village COMB Block
 Park & Franklin
 118 under 120 renovated 174 new homes,
 Towers
 renovation and homes for seniors Historic renovations many dedicated to
 64 new homes completed to improve 400 seniors and families
 under September 2025 homes where 40 units
  construction stand
 Funding Challenges
• Limits of Federal Funding (Losing public housing program; HOME funds
 flat funded; LIHTC very limited; Buy America restrictions added)

• Maine funding oversubscribed 5:1 (4-5 LIHTC projects yearly
 statewide; Loan product good at Interest only; No State Subsidy for 4%
 walk-in program, rural or homeownership)

• AHTIF fills operating cost gaps and helps PHA access additional
 funding sources. Operating costs are rising quickly.(Sagamore (no
 TIF) goes from $0 taxes to $435,000/yr. and City will not pick up trash -
 $75,000 project cost)
 Other Challenges
City Fees
Substantial fees reduce City support and limit feasibility
(planning board; building permit; impact fees, legal and
underwriting; ROW infrastructure)

Green Building Ordinance
Complexity and misalignment with MSHA and PHDC
energy standards slows construction of green buildings
(PHDC has built largest number of Passive House units in
Maine)

Environmental Issues
Improved coordination of Environmental Reviews is
needed to address environmental/brownfield
remediation. (City does their assessment and MaineHousing
will not use City’s, they must do their own costing time and
money)




 Franklin Towers
 Towers
Questions?