A Win for Civil Legal Aid in Maine

I'm thrilled to share some good news for civil legal aid in Maine: 

The recently passed state budget adds $5 million to the Maine Civil Legal Services Fund, including $2 million additional baseline funds that will appear in future budgets. 

These new funds will support the general operating costs of all seven civil legal aid providers in Maine, helping to stabilize our programs as the need for our services increases across the state. 

We're grateful to our partner providers and state legislators who helped make this possible. But our work is not yet done. This funding is significant, but far from enough to meet the civil legal needs of low-income people in Maine.  

Thank you for joining us in our celebration of this win, and for your ongoing support in our fight for justice for all. 

Celebrating Fair Housing Month

A few winters ago, a man living at a mobile home park with his family of six worried that they could soon become homeless. He and his wife had owned their home for more than a decade, but leased the land beneath it, and had recently received a letter from their landlord demanding that they move their home for park renovations.

This may sound like a straightforward ask, but mobile homes are often not actually mobile. They can be very difficult and costly to relocate. This family didn’t have the money to move their home within the timeframe presented by their landlord.

Beyond this worrisome demand, the family also felt that they were experiencing discrimination. They were one of only two families of color living at the park, and they were the only two families to receive this request.

Unsure how to secure stable housing for his family, the man reached out to Pine Tree Legal for help.

Our Fair Housing Unit investigated the case and determined that it merited legal action. This winter, staff attorney Mike Spalding resolved the case to everyone’s satisfaction, helping our client and his family regain stability and move forward with justice on their side.

Honoring the Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act

On April 11, 1968, Congress passed the Fair Housing Act as part of the Civil Rights Act. This statute prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability.

Each year at Pine Tree Legal, our Fair Housing Unit advises and represents dozens of clients facing discrimination, working to ensure that everyone has fair and equal access to a home.

“Fair housing is tied to many other social goods, including education,” says staff attorney Mike Spalding. “When a municipality discriminates based on a protected category, it is also perpetuating segregation. It’s nice to work in an area of law that tries to redeem the promise of that statute, and to still be working toward the goal of integration.”



Each April, Fair Housing Month celebrates the anniversary of the passage of this legislation, and the ongoing efforts to uphold and enforce it. 

29th Annual Muskie Access to Justice Award Ceremony

June 3 | 5pm - 7pm

Ocean Gateway, Portland

Please join us as we honor Christine Hastedt and Mary Henderson, and celebrate the resilience, dedication, and impact of Maine’s Civil Legal Aid community. Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while taking in sweeping views of Casco Bay at Ocean Gateway, located on Portland’s historic waterfront.

Members of the Maine Bar can support PTLA’s work by donating to the Campaign for Justice, a special collaborative fundraising effort by Maine’s legal community to support legal aid.