April 3: Avesta saw double-digit jump in those seeking affordable housing last year 

Maine's largest affordable housing developer, Avesta Housing, had a 26% increase in its waitlist last year. Less than 4% of applicants were able to move into an Avesta Housing complex.   

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April 4: Maine House Speaker Talbot Ross touts ‘housing first’ plan 

On Tuesday, Maine House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross presented a bill to devote $13 million to provide permanent housing for those experiencing chronic homelessness. The housing is not planned for people needing emergency shelter for short amounts of time. 

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April 4: Historic Maine church to become needed housing 

The Auburn City Council approved the sale of the St. Louis Church to Tom Robinson. Robinson plans to transform the church into a 20-unit complex of one and two-bedroom apartments. 

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April 6: Portland Expo to open Monday as emergency shelter for asylum seekers 

On Monday, the Portland Expo will open for temporary emergency shelter. 1,2000 people are currently being provided shelter on a nightly basis in Portland. The city had been utilizing a school gym as an overnight overflow shelter space. The Expo is the last overnight overflow shelter space the city has access to currently. 

Read the full article here.