PORTLAND, Maine — An affordable housing project was among several hot topics Portland city councilors were expected to address during their scheduled meeting Monday night.
One proposal that awaits a council vote is a project that would include tearing down a former American Legion building at 42 Atlantic St. to construct 30 affordable housing units.
Three of those units would be designated for people seeking to exit homelessness, and three others would be designated for survivors of domestic abuse or those with a mental health diagnosis, Portland's Housing and Economic Development Director Greg Watson said.
“I think Portland’s goals for housing start with [this]: We need to build as much of all kinds of housing as we possibly can, and that includes affordable housing units," Watson told NEWS CENTER Maine. "This [project] represents an opportunity to do the latter, to bring new affordable units to households that are at incomes of 60 percent or 50 percent of the area median income."
If approved, the city would use tax revenues over 30 years to cover $1.3 million of the $13 million project.
"Forty-two Atlantic [Street] drew our attention, particularly my attention because it is in my neighborhood, and I think that’s important to sort of practice what you preach," project developer Dan Black with LB Atlantic LLC said.
Black said this project is possible because of a policy change in Augusta.
“LD 2003 in particular allows for a greater density of housing on parcels if they are derestricted to be affordable,” Black explained. "Before L.D. 2003 came into play, we'd be able to build 13 housing units. Given current housing regulations, we can have two-and-a-half times the base density."
To learn more about the project click here to be taken to the city council agenda.