HOUSING ISSUES

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Need Rental Assistance? Contact PROP's Rental Assistance Programs

Home Ownership Resources

>>....Think Tanks and Information Clearinghouses

Welfare Information Network: Housing

Lots of resources relevant to welfare reform and housing. Describes impact of welfare reform on low-income housing. News, publications, state-specific initiatives related to housing, housing programs, many on-line articles, organization links.

HUD User

HUD User is the primary source for Federal Government reports and information on housing policy and programs, building technology, economic development, urban planning, and other housing-related topics. Web site offers statistics, publications, research, bibliographies, news stories, pages on section 8 housing assistance.

HUD Home Buyer's Kit (U.S. Housing & Urban Development)

Nicely designed, elaborate FAQ on homebuying, with sections on Common questions from first-time homebuyers, Know Your Rights as a Homebuyer, How Much Mortgage Can You Afford? (with calculators), Create Your Wish List, Your Real Estate Agent, Mortgages and Homebuying Programs, Shopping for a Home, Building a Home, Manufactured Homes, Rehabbing a Home, Home Inspections, Appraisals, Homeowners Insurance, Settlement/Closing, Moving, and more!

National Low-Income Housing Coalition

News, events, "bookshelf" with reports on the issues relevant to low-income housing, , covering how to find info, what to do if you're about to be homeless, home ownership help, discrimination, tenant issues, public housing, lead poisoning, section 8 questions, and lots of contact numbers.

>>....Factsheets, Articles, Reports, Resource Lists, Handbooks & Journals

Affordable Housing Contact List (HomeBuyer's Fair)

Long list of national, state, and private sector agencies that have programs to help new homebuyers and low-income homebuyers, with contact info.

First-Time Home-Buyer Tools (HomeBuyer's Fair)

Tools and articles on: How much can you afford?, Rent-Buy Calculator, Rent vs. Buy analysis, Qualification Calculator, how to figure your budget as a homebuyer, how to figure closing costs, etc.

Saving Affordable Housing (National Housing Institute)

Subtitled, " What Community Groups Can Do and What Government Should Do." A 1997 National Housing Institute study focusing on community-based non-profit solutions, with case studies.

Housing Options for Older Americans (U.S. Administration on Aging)

Fact sheet. Not specifically about low-income housing. With resources list.

REPORT: A Picture of Subsidized Households - 1998 (U.S. Dept. Housing & Urban Development)

Data on all 50 states and U.S. holdings, including totals number of subsidized households, Indian housing; Public housing; Section 8 certificates and vouchers; Section 8 moderate rehabilitation; Section 8 new and substantial rehabilitation; Section 236; other HUD subsidies; and Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). The data for Maine are available on-line or as downloaded files.

REPORT: The Longterm Effects of Housing Assistance on Self-Sufficiency: Final Report (U.S. Dept. Housing & Urban Development)

Report available in PDF format. "This report looks at the outcomes of young adults, ages 10-16, in the 1980s who lived as teenagers in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) public and assisted housing developments during the 1970s. The authors compare these outcomes to those of lower-income teenagers who did not receive public assistance, and separate the effects of assistance from the unobserved characteristics of families that might affect both the need for housing assistance and the subsequent careers of the children."

>>....Statistics, Data, & other numbers

Rural By the Numbers: Housing (Rural Policy Research Institute)

Rural housing statistics and findings, focusing on low-income families. Some findings: 27% of all rural households have a major housing problem, including inadequacy, overcrowding, or high cost burdens (1993); nearly 1 in 10 rural households spent over half of their income on housing (1997 report). A few stats relevant to utilities.

American Housing Survey (U.S. Dept. Housing & Urban Development)

You can download (very large) files containing all kinds of data on the American housing market. The survey tabulations (1999 and 1997 versions available) provide data on apartments, single-family homes, mobile homes, vacant homes, family composition, income, housing and neighborhood quality, housing costs, equipment, fuels, size of housing unit, and recent movers. The survey started in 1973, and has had the same sample since 1985, letting you see homes and households changing over the years.

>>....Organizations & Agencies

U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development

Features news, consumer info, resources, kids' page, and resources for rental help, homelessness, home ownership, first-time home buyers. Home ownership section includes home-buyers kit, HUD homes for sale, HUD Home Improvement programs. Resources for first-time home buyers include specific sections on women, veterans, senior citizens, elected officials, non-profits, grantees, etc.

Habitat for Humanity

How to get involved, true stories. Portland Habitat chapter site describes current and planned projects, and offers news, newsletters, corporate sponsors and board listings.

>>....Listservs & Mailing Lists

The International Homeless List (Communications for a Sustainable Future - CO)

"In the HOMELESS discussion list a reader will encounter communication from people who are currently homeless, from people who are 'formerly homeless,' from people who are currently 'homed,' from people who are shelter and service providers, from people who live in shelters and public housing developments, from people who work in state and federal agencies, and from many others who share an interest in homelessness." Info on how to subscribe. List has about 550 subscribers.

Utilities Resources

>>....Think Tanks and Information Clearinghouses

LIHEAP Clearinghouse

Information service for state, tribal, and local providers of HEAP and others interested in low-income energy issues. Newsletters, publications, state programs, utility restructuring info. Links to other low-income energy organizations.

Energy Savers: Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home (U.S. Dept. of Energy/Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network)

Lots of tips here for conserving fuel/electricity and saving on home energy costs. Sections on insulation and weatherization, heating and cooling, water heating, windows, landscaping, lighting, appliances, major appliance shopping guide. Also source list and reference guide.

Bundle ME Up (Governor's Office, State of Maine)

Site seeks to lower Mainers' heating bills by offering conservation tips (with cost savings listed), Also information on LHEAP/Weatherization/CHIP programs and other assistance programs, and list of Maine CAPs. Provides detailed, well-chosen, annotated list of related links. FAQ page also useful, answering questions such as How many gallons of heating oil does the average Maine house use yearly? and How expensive is it to safely install a wood stove or furnace as an alternative heat source?

>>....Factsheets, Articles, Reports, Resource Lists, Handbooks & Journals

Minutes from Maine's Task Force To Reduce The Burden Of Home Heating Costs on Low-Income Households

These meetings were held from Aug.-Oct. 2000. The minutes indicate areas of concern and perspectives on the problem of heating costs for low-income Mainers. A full report was due out in November 2000 (?).

For Renters Only: Saving Energy in Your Apartment (U.S. Dept. of Energy)

Tips for saving money on utility bills in an apartment, with sections on Temperature Control, Hot Water, Kitchen Stove, Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Washing Machine and Dryer, Window Air Conditioner.

>>....Organizations & Agencies

Coalition on Human Needs: Energy Assistance

Resources page with links to legislation/appropriations status, Background on LIHEAP, Campaign to Keep America Warm's Save LIHEAP Page, LIHEAP Clearinghouse, Administration for Children and Families LIHEAP Page.

Renters' Resources

>>....Factsheets, Articles, Reports, Resource Lists, Handbooks & Journals

The Rights of Tenants in MAINE (Pine Tree Legal Assistance)

Written based on tenant laws in Oct. 1997, this handbook covers: Tips To Know Before You Rent, Rental Agreements, General Assistance, Rent Increases, Unsafe or Unfit Housing, Evictions, Discrimination, Landlord Entering Your Home, Subsidized Housing, Mobile Home Parks, and more.

For Renters Only: Saving Energy in Your Apartment (U.S. Dept. of Energy)

Tips for saving money on utility bills in an apartment, with sections on Temperature Control, Hot Water, Kitchen Stove, Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Washing Machine and Dryer, Window Air Conditioner.

>>....Statistics, Data, & other numbers

Out of Reach (National Low Income Housing Coalition - DC)

Subtitled: The Gap Between Housing Costs and Income of Poor People in the United States. "'Out of Reach' contains income and rental housing cost data for the fifty states and District of Columbia by state, metropolitan area, and county or, in the case of New England, town. For each, it calculates the income that renter households need in order to afford rental housing and estimates how many of these households cannot afford to pay the Fair Market Rent (FMR), and what they would need to earn to pay the rent and keep their housing costs at 30 percent of their income.". Published Sept. 1999.

>>....Organizations & Agencies

Housing & Urban Development (Bangor Office) Rental Resources (HUD - Maine)

Information on rental housing in Maine, subsidized apartments, income limits, fair market rents, housing counseling, neighborhood networks, fair housing, tenant rights and responsibilities, and more.

Homelessness Resources

>>....Think Tanks and Information Clearinghouses

National Coalition for the Homeless

"A national advocacy network of homeless persons, activists, service providers, and others committed to ending homelessness through public education, policy advocacy, grassroots organizing, and technical assistance" Web site includes many Fact Sheets on the Homeless, alerts, policy and legislation section, link, membership info, an on-line library with abstracts and citation and ordering information for hundreds of reports on homelessness and poverty.

Welfare Information Network: Homelessness

Lots of resources relevant to homelessness, including state and national initiatives on homelessness, links to many organizations concerned with homelessness, over 100 articles, research summaries, and publications on the issue.

National Alliance to End Homelessness (DC)

Background on issues/FAQ, statistics, policy and legislation, best practices, publications, resources, discussion forum, links, action tips. Facts about homelessness in the U.S.

U.S. Health & Human Services: HOMELESSNESS

Fairly technical site. Profile of homelessness in America, government and other resources (includes 14 HHS programs that deal in some way with homelessness), links.

International Homeless Discussion List: Archives and Links

Links to over 500 sites on homelessness. Sections on children and youth, health and medical services, housing resources, laws, memoirs of homelessness, etc.

>>....Factsheets, Articles, Reports, Resource Lists, Handbooks & Journals

Fact Sheets on the Homeless (National Coalition on Homelessness)

Facts about homelessness in the U.S. (National Alliance to End Homelessness)

What YOU Can Do About Homelessness (National Coalition for the Homeless)

Extensive list of tangible things you can do to alleviate and prevent homelessness, in categories of volunteering, contributing, advocacy, and education (includes list of books for children on the topic).

Rural Homelessness Fact Sheet (National Coalition for the Homeless)

Published March 1999, covers demographics, definitions, causes, and policy issues, and list print resources.

Housing Options (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty)

Short article describing short- and long-term rent assistance, transitional housing, shelters, and other forms of housing for the homeless.

>>....Organizations & Agencies

Housing & Urban Development (Bangor Office) Homelessness Resources (HUD - Maine)

Information on Maine shelters and food banks, clothing (contact numbers for local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores), other community services, housing counseling, fair housing, avoiding foreclosure, and more.

>>....Listservs & Mailing Lists

The International Homeless List (Communications for a Sustainable Future - CO)

"In the HOMELESS discussion list a reader will encounter communication from people who are currently homeless, from people who are 'formerly homeless,' from people who are currently 'homed,' from people who are shelter and service providers, from people who live in shelters and public housing developments, from people who work in state and federal agencies, and from many others who share an interest in homelessness." Info on how to subscribe. List has about 550 subscribers.

Maine-Specific Housing Resources

>>....Think Tanks and Information Clearinghouses

Maine Affordable Housing Network (Coastal Enterprises, Inc.)

Provides "an inclusive, statewide forum for discussion, planning and action around affordable housing and related issues." Offers "forums for discussion and legislative advocacy, technical assistance, education and resource development." Check out the latest newsletter for legislative bills relevant to affordable housing in Maine.

Bundle ME Up (Governor's Office, State of Maine)

Site seeks to lower Mainers' heating bills by offering conservation tips (with cost savings listed), Also information on LHEAP/Weatherization/CHIP programs and other assistance programs, and list of Maine CAPs. Provides detailed, well-chosen, annotated list of related links. FAQ page also useful, answering questions such as How many gallons of heating oil does the average Maine house use yearly? and How expensive is it to safely install a wood stove or furnace as an alternative heat source?

>>....Factsheets, Articles, Reports, Resource Lists, Handbooks & Journals

Tenants Rights When Renting Apartments in Maine (Maine Attorney General's Office: Consumer Law Guide)

Document describing rights for tenants in Maine. Provides "Notice of Violation of Warranty" form.

The Rights of Tenants in Maine (Pine Tree Legal Assistance)

Written based on tenant laws in Oct. 1997, this handbook covers: Tips To Know Before You Rent, Rental Agreements, General Assistance, Rent Increases, Unsafe or Unfit Housing, Evictions, Discrimination, Landlord Entering Your Home, Subsidized Housing, Mobile Home Parks, and more.

Subsidized Housing in Cumberland County, Maine (MSHA)

8-page PDF file of Cumberland County subsidized housing, arranged in alphabetical order by town name. With contact info.

>>....Statistics, Data, & other numbers

Out of Reach: Maine (National Low-Income Housing Coalition)

Sept. 1999 data on fair market rents in Maine, Cumberland County (non metro-area) and Portland (metro-area), median incomes, renter median incomes, affordability data, more. Very useful.

REPORT: A Picture of Subsidized Households - 1998: Maine (U.S. Dept. Housing & Urban Development)

Data on Maine's totals number of subsidized households, indian housing; public housing; section 8 certificates and vouchers; section 8 moderate rehabilitation; section 8 new and substantial rehabilitation; section 236; other HUD subsidies; and low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC). The data are available on-line or as downloaded files.

>>....Organizations & Agencies

Maine State Housing Authority (Augusta)

353 Water Street, Augusta, ME 04338-2669 / 207-626-4678
Help for first-time homebuyers, mortgage rates, housing news, technical assistance, home ownership program, rental developments; info on Fix ME, LIHEAP and other low-income home energy assistance programs, weatherization. Application guidelines and contact numbers.

U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development: Maine (Bangor)

Address: Maine State Office, Housing & Urban Development
Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building, Room 101
202 Harlow Street
Bangor, ME 04402-1384
Phone: 207/945-0468; FAX: 207/945-0533
Site is similar in layout to the federal HUD page, but highlights Maine programs and has local calendar, news, press release archives, rental help, complaints section, section on homelessness (info on shelters, food banks, clothing, avoiding foreclosure, etc.), being a HUD contractor, directions to Bangor office, etc.

Maine Section 8 Property Search (U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development)

Enter property name, and/or city/town, and/or number of rooms desired, and search will provide you with list of properties and contact info.

Portland Housing Authority (Portland)

Section 8 info, study center locations, links for housing resources.

hoMEworks

Schedule of home-buyer classes, benefits of homebuyer education, sponsors, links. Their mission is to " develop a standardized, comprehensive, homeownership education program to be delivered by a network of industry professionals in neutral environments throughout Maine."

Cumberland County Affordable Housing Venture - Building Materials Bank

207-874-1005
Assists low-income homeowners rehabilitate their homes through a bank which collects donated building materials. Agencies who build or renovate homes for low-income families also get supplies from the Bank.

Portland Habitat chapter site (Portland)

Describes current and planned projects, and offers news, newsletters, corporate sponsors and board listings.

Housing & Urban Development (Bangor Office) Homelessness Resources (HUD - Maine)

Information on Maine shelters and food banks, clothing (contact numbers for local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores), other community services, housing counseling, fair housing, avoiding foreclosure, and more.

Housing & Urban Development (Bangor Office) Rental Resources (HUD - Maine)

Information on rental housing in Maine, subsidized apartments, income limits, fair market rents, housing counseling, neighborhood networks, fair housing, tenant rights and responsibilities, and more.

Two Echo Co-Housing Community (Brunswick)

Includes info on the history of the 27-home community, the building process, bios of the people who live there, contact info.