HUD Archives: RURAL HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FY2000 GRANTS

RURAL HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FY2000 GRANTS

PROJECT SUMMARY

Maine

Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, based in Augusta, will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development Innovative Activities grant in the amount of $500,000. This project will replace extremely dilapidated and unsafe, unsanitary homes for Somerset County's poorest residents. Somerset one of the State's most economically distressed county and has some of the poorest and most aged housing in the State. The grant will replace 22 deteriorated homes, study and analyze construction methods and housing types, and develop programmatic models to be used elsewhere in Maine. Key partners include: Kennebec Valley Community Action Program. Leveraging resources total $264,470 for this project.

Contact Person: Orman Whitcomb

Grantee Address: 33 Stone Street,

Maine State Housing Authority, based Augusta, will be receiving a Rural Housing and Economic Development grant in the amount of $600,000. This innovative support grant will be used for providing partial funding for a new program intended to revitalize downtown areas in small rural communities. The Maine State Housing Authority will use the Downtown Homebuyers program to finance homeownership opportunities to service centers. MSHA will use proceeds from bond sales to provide sixty percent of the financing for the purchase of owner-occupied one to four unit buildings. The grant will also be used for closing costs assistance to eligible borrowers, relocation assistance to tenants, providing outreach and technical assistance to participating communities. Key partners include: Bangor Savings Bank and Peoples Heritage Bank. Leveraging resources total $8,000,000.

Contact Person: Tom Donahue

Grantee Address: 343 Water Street

Phone Number: (207) 626-4670

Northern Maine Development Commission in Caribou will receive a Rural Housing and Economic Development grant in the amount of $50,000. This capacity building grant will assist the organization in expanding their services to the rural housing needs. This technological system will promote better networking for sharing a vast array of vital information, to local planners, communities, social service entities, educational and medical institutions and businesses. This comprehensive GIS network can provide a link to help communities prepare for economic and community growth. The partners involved in this venture are: State of Maine's Office of GIS, Maine State Housing Authority, USDA-Rural Development, Maine Department of Transportation and Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Aroostook Municipal Association, Bell Atlantic, Aroostook County Action Program (Housing and Migrant Worker Programs), Northern Maine Medical Center, The Aroostook Medical Center, Cary Medical Center, University of Maine at Fort Kent, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs. As well as other businesses and organizations. Leveraging resources total $950,086 for this project.

Contact Person: Robert P. Clark

Grantee Address: P. O. Box 779

Telephone Number: (207) 498-8736