Everyone deserves a place to call home. | |
As we approach the end of the year, we reflect on what we have accomplished as we look forward to continuing our mission in the new one. Here are five stories that celebrate the impact your support has had on communities in Maine and New Hampshire. | |
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Avesta welcomed residents to dozens of new safe, quality, affordable homes and celebrated the grand openings of not one, not two, but three properties in 2024!
Two properties that opened in 2023 for residents of all ages were celebrated with grand openings this year: Porter Station in May and River Turn Apartments in September. Porter Station features 60 homes in the historic St. John Valley neighborhood of Portland. River Turn, our first affordable housing development in Conway, N.H., provides 40 homes in the beautiful Mount Washington Valley area and is the first of four planned buildings.
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Featuring 31 homes for ages 55 and older, Village Commons opened in February as part of Firehouse Village, a mixed-use redevelopment of a former public safety complex in Scarborough. We celebrated with a grand opening in June.
In March, the first residents moved into Snow School Apartments in Fryeburg, which provides 28 affordable homes for ages 55 and older. This development was built on the former site of an elementary school, and some of its former students are now enjoying their new homes on the same site!
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Helping Residents Succeed
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A unique component of Avesta’s work is connecting residents to the resources they need to acquire and maintain housing stability. We worked with more than 100 partners throughout 2024 to provide services to our residents, including: |
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A new program from the Girl Scouts of Maine, A Place for Girls, which provides afterschool skill-building and leadership experience to girls ages 5 to 17 living in our South Portland properties and the surrounding community.
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Homeless to Housing, a program that helps recently homeless individuals transition to permanent housing in partnership with Maine Behavioral Health. Thirteen percent of our residents were homeless before moving into an Avesta home.
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Annual scholarships awarded by Avesta to residents entering post-secondary education, such as college, graduate school, trade school, or certificate programs.
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Door-to-door canvassing by League of Women Voters of Maine at Avesta properties to provide residents with nonpartisan information about voter registration, voter rights, and more.
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Other services and resources included on-site food pantries; digital literacy training; English language classes; barbecues and other summer celebrations; vaccination clinics; craft making and art classes; and workshops for older adults on healthcare, financial counseling, fitness, and other topics. | |
We were honored to be recognized for our work by numerous organizations, all of which underlie our commitment to our mission and values. | |
In August, Avesta was named a Best Place to Work in Maine. Given annually to businesses, nonprofits, and government entities across the state, this highly competitive award is based mostly on the results of employee surveys, which makes the honor especially meaningful.
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Advocating for Affordable Housing
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One of the most important aspects of our work is advocating for legislation that funds and supports more safe, quality, affordable homes. Avesta played a leading role as an expert educator and adviser at all levels of government, including: |
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Serving as panelists at a housing summit of legislators and industry experts hosted by the Greater Portland Council of Governments and at a forum before Maine state legislators hosted by the Maine Development Foundation
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Serving on a panel discussion and roundtable led by U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Maine Gov. Janet Mills about energy efficiency in affordable housing development
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Meeting with U.S. Sen. Angus King to discuss affordable housing issues and possible solutions at the federal level
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Partnering with the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce to host a roundtable discussion with business leaders about the effects of the housing shortage on the labor market.
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Creative Solutions
for the Future
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The affordable housing crisis is a complex issue requiring creative solutions. This year, Avesta adopted a new strategic plan that will guide our organization through 2027 and focus on five key priorities: housing supply; access to affordable housing; workplace excellence; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and climate resiliency.
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In the fall, we launched a new program designed to help moderate-income Maine residents realize their dream of owning their first homes. Through “A Path Forward – Homeownership for ME,” Avesta acquires and rehabilitates properties that are in disrepair, then sells them at below-market prices to qualifying households. Sale proceeds are used to help fund the next home acquisition and rehab, providing a strategic reinvestment for years to come.
| THANK YOU FOR A GREAT YEAR! | |
We couldn’t have accomplished any of this without the support of our stakeholders, funders, supporters, development and service partners, and, most importantly, our staff. Thank you. And while we are proud of our accomplishments of the past year, we are excited to continue our important work in the new year and beyond to help ensure that everyone has a place to call home. | |
LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE? | |
For more information about available homes with Avesta Housing, click below. | |
YOU CAN BE PART OF AVESTA! | |
Join Avesta by making a gift this year. Your generosity inspires us to keep our communities vital by building homes for the people who need them. Thank you. | | |
Avesta Housing's mission is rooted in the belief that communities thrive when everyone has a place to call home.
Our Mission: Avesta Housing improves lives and strengthens communities by promoting and providing quality affordable homes for people in need.
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