Everyone deserves a place to call home.

Avesta named Best Place to Work in Maine 2nd year in a row

We are delighted to share that Avesta Housing has once again been recognized for our dedication to both our employees and the communities we serve. Earlier this month, we proudly received the Best Places to Work in Maine award for the second consecutive year!

The Best Places to Work designation is a direct reflection of our positive workplace environment, as 75% of the scoring is based on an employee survey. This acknowledges the commitment and passion of our team to ensuring the success of our affordable housing mission and supporting positive outcomes for our residents.

That's not all. The same week we received the Best Places to Work designation, we were also named Best Property Management Company in Portland, Maine, for the third straight year!

Given as part of the Best of Portland, Maine, awards, the Best Property Management Company honor is based entirely on votes from the public. This demonstrates the trust and satisfaction of our residents and the surrounding communities, and further highlights the dedication of our property management staff. We are immensely grateful to everyone who supported us with their votes.

New laws address affordable housing shortage in Maine & NH

The housing shortage is not going away anytime soon. According to the latest estimates, Maine needs to build 84,000 new homes and New Hampshire needs to build 60,000 new homes by 2030. That’s only five years from now, and on the surface, the task seems insurmountable.

However, there is new reason to hope. Both states recently enacted laws that address the shortage by incentivizing affordable housing development, removing outdated restrictions, speeding up the approval process, and more. Let’s take a look at some highlights:

MAINE

The 132^nd Maine Legislature passed some of the most impactful, bipartisan housing reform bills in the State’s history before adjourning on June 25, all of which have been signed by Gov. Janet Mills. These include:

LD 1829: Removes barriers to affordable housing development by relaxing zoning restrictions, granting height bonuses for affordable housing, eliminating permit caps in growth areas, reducing minimum lot sizes to promote infill development, and making other changes. It also makes it easier for homeowners to build accessory dwelling units on their properties.

LD 997: Permits mixed-use development in commercial zones to include residential housing.

LD 427: Requires minimum parking requirements not exceed one parking spot per housing unit.

LD 146: Streamlines the state’s Historic Property Rehabilitation Tax Credit by removing timeline barriers that discourage rehabilitating older homes and returning them to the housing market.

LD 1184: Mandates annual housing production reporting from municipalities.

In addition, the 2026-27 state budget establishes Maine’s first-ever affordable housing production fund, which will be funded by an increase in the real estate transfer tax rate on the sale of properties valued at more than $1 million. It also exempts first-time homebuyers and those who sell to them from paying the real estate transfer tax altogether if they use one of MaineHousing’s first-time homebuyer mortgage programs.

The tax changes, which take effect Sept. 18, are expected to raise more than $35 million for affordable housing development by 2027.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The General Court of New Hampshire passed a number of housing bills before adjourning on June 26. Housing legislation signed by Gov. Kelly Ayotte includes:

SB 165: Increases the audit threshold for consumer cooperatives from $100,000 to $1 million, lowering costs for resident-owned communities.

HB 577: Allows detached accessible dwelling units measuring 950 square feet or less to be built without special permits and requires municipalities to approve either an attached unit or a detached unit if it meets zoning requirements.

HB 631-FN: Allows the development of apartments and duplexes in commercial zones.

HB 457: Prohibits municipalities from creating zoning ordinances that restrict the number of residents to one per unit; each municipality must now allow at least two.

SB 284: Requires minimum parking requirements not exceed one parking spot per housing unit.

SB 282: Reduces the number of required staircases in developments below four stories to a single staircase.

In addition, the 2026-27 state budget expedites the permitting process for new housing construction by requiring that reviews conducted by the N.H. Department of Transportation and the N.H. Department of Environmental Services be completed within 60 days.

Avesta celebrates its staff with annual summer outing

Avesta Housing held its annual summer staff outing on Aug. 13 at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The event, which included delicious food, live music, games, and outdoor activities, provided a welcome opportunity for employees to unwind and connect in a beautiful Maine setting.

These gatherings are just one way Avesta expresses gratitude for the exceptional hard work, dedication, and professionalism our team demonstrates daily in providing safe, quality, and affordable homes and services to our residents.

Pre-K children at Avesta homes get head start in math skills

Children in Avesta homes are learning math skills and boosting their chances of academic success thanks to a new partnership between Avesta Housing and a Maine nonprofit.

Presented by the Early Math and Language Initiative (EMLI), the Family Math program teaches pre-K children in under-resourced communities through a combination of storytelling, group activities, and one-on-one instruction provided by trained instructors and volunteers. Parents are also encouraged to participate so that they can better support their child’s math education.

The Family Math program is taught at West End Apartments in South Portland and will launch at Pearl Place in Portland in September. EMLI may also offer classes at Avesta’s Westbrook campus in late fall.

Zane Jay, youth leadership coordinator with Gateway Community Services Maine, and Jayashree Sonti, co-founder and executive director of EMLI, hand out graduation certificates to children who have completed the EMLI Family Math program at West End Apartments in South Portland.

“Children are naturally drawn to math. At a very young age, they are working with blocks, separating things into groups, and comparing the sizes of objects,” said Jayashree Sonti, co-founder and executive director of EMLI. “But they also hear that math can be difficult, and that can create anxiety. So, one of the goals is to get not only the children but their families excited about math.”

Students who complete the 16-week program are not only better prepared academically, they gain confidence that will positively impact their lives throughout childhood and beyond.

“Our belief is if you give them math skills, they will excel in other areas,” Jayashree said.

Save the Date: Meadowview II grand opening

On Oct. 8, Avesta will host a grand opening celebration of our newest affordable housing development, and you’re invited!

Designed by JSA Design and built by Optimum Construction Co., Meadowview II provides 26 one- and two-bedroom homes for people ages 55 and older in Gray, Maine. Featuring a state-of-the-art climate control system, a community room, and on-site laundry and parking, this property exemplifies Avesta’s commitment to providing quality, safe, affordable homes for older adults.

More details coming soon!

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