Governor Janet Mills Aims to House 1,000 Mainers Who are Homeless
Gov. Janet Mills has joined the 'House America' national initiative, in order to combat homelessness in the state.
House America is a national program developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Organizers are inviting state and municipal leaders to develop new plans for helping the homeless population in their states. Through the American Rescue Plan, participating states are being given huge grants and emergency housing vouchers to fund the new solutions.
In Maine, Governor Mills has set a goal of finding housing for 1,000 households that are currently experiencing homelessness. In addition, she aims to create 500 new affordable housing units, statewide. Mills says the money will also help support resources and services that are already in place.
As you may know, there is a sign at the Maine State border that reads "Welcome Home." It's there so that every person who comes to our state for the first time or the thousandth time knows that they can find a home here.
Maine now has housing navigators who will work to connect homeless individuals and families to housing, assist those individuals with completing rental applications and provide support services that promote successful landlord-tenant relationships.
Nationally, the COVID-19 pandemic has created greater urgency in addressing the situation, given the heightened risk factors associated with homelessness. At the same time, re-housing efforts have been slowed by capacity guidelines and impacts on rental vacancies across the country.