Rental housing costs are increasingly out of reach for many lower and moderate income Maine people. Rental assistance, either in the form of housing choice vouchers, subsidized apartments or affordable rental housing can help. Vouchers can help pay your rent in the apartment of your choice.
Subsidized apartments provide qualified tenants below-market rents. Affordable rental housing are units which the rent is capped to benefit the tenants. Waiting lists can be long, so you may want to apply for both kinds of help. MaineHousing’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program provides rental assistance to income eligible tenants by subsidizing a portion of their monthly rents and paying it directly to their landlords.
MaineHousing offers this program in areas of Maine that are not served by local housing authorities. To apply for Section 8 rental assistance, request an application from the Department of Health and Human Services, 114 Corn Shop Lane, Farmington, ME 04938, (207) 778-8400. Applications are accepted by mail or in person.
A program agent from the Maine State Housing Authority is available on the second Wednesday of each month at the Farmington office if assistance is required. Applications can be obtained from the Maine State Housing Authority at 353 Water Street, Augusta, ME 04330.
Call toll free 1-866-357-4853. You can also access an online application here.
The current waiting period for Section 8 assistance is six months to one year.
Yes, there are, but not in Franklin County. Unfortunately, Franklin County does not have any shelters. The following are shelters throughout Maine.
Abused Women’s Advocacy Project (AWAP): Provides a shelter for abused women in Franklin, Androscoggin, and Oxford counties, as well as resources for victims of domestic violence. Phone: (207) 778-6107 or 1-800-559-2927, 159 Main St., Farmington.
Acadia Recovery Community Shelter: Substance Abuse. Phone: (207) 973-6400 or 1-800-44-2555, 179 Indiana Avenue, Bangor.
Bangor Area Homeless Shelter: General. Phone: (207) 947-0092, 26 Cedar Street, Bangor.
Battered Women’s Project:. Domestic Violence assistance in Caribou, Houlton and Presque Isle. Phone: (207) 498-6146 or 1-800-439-2323 or (207) 764-2977
Bread of Life Shelter: Families, victims of domestic violence, single men and women including those with mental illness. All ages. Serves: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington and York counties. Phone: (207) 626-3479, 157 Hospital St., Augusta.
Breakwater Teen Shelter: Teens. Phone: (207) 596-2920, 1-866-506-3520, 218 Main Street, Rockland.
Caring Unlimited: Domestic Violence. Phone: (207) 324-1802 or 1-800-239-7298, Sanford.
Children’s Emergency Services: Sexually or physically abused children, neglected children and their families, as well as parental abuse. Phone: 1-800-452-1999, 200 Main St., Lewiston.
City of Portland Family Shelter: Families. Phone: (207) 772-8339, 54 & 55 Chestnut, Portland.
Community Concepts/Stratglass Shelter: General. Phone: (207) 364-3824 or 743-7716 or 1-800-866-5588, 32 Erchles Street, Rumford.
Dorr House: Mental illness/Substance Abuse. Phone: (207) 469-7961, 90 Schoolhouse Road, Orland.
Emmaus Shelter: General. Phone: (207) 667-3962 Corner of Main and Water Streets, Ellsworth.
Family Crisis Shelter: Emergency shelter, 24-hour Hotline, assistance in obtaining protection of abuse orders, support group, and community education. Victims of domestic violence and their children. Phone: (207) 874-1973 or 1-800-537-6066, PO Box 704 Portland.
Family Violence Project: Domestic violence shelter, Phone: (207) 623-3560 or 1-877-890-7788, Augusta.
Galilee House: General. Phone: (207) 744-0936, 25 Deering Street, Norway.
Halcyon House: Emergency shelter for juveniles under 18, may stay up to 30 days. Phone: (207) 474-8574, 5 Commerce Dr., Skowhegan.
Hope Haven Gospel Mission: Serves residents of Lewiston/Auburn and surrounding areas of Maine. Hope Haven Gospel Mission provides a shelter and a soup kitchen, which serves meals twice a day. Counseling and a Christian environment are provided to those who wish to join their rehabilitation program. Primarily serves the residents of Androscoggin County, but will provide Franklin County residents emergency services on a first come first serve basis. Phone: (207) 783-6086. Fax: 783-3904. Address: 209 Lincoln St, Lewiston, ME 04240.
Hospitality House: General. Phone: (207) 469-7961, 15 First Street, Bucksport.
Ingraham: Mental illness. Phone: (207) 874-1055, 1-800-870-9998, 237 Oxford Street, Portland.
Kilun Kikin Emergency Shelter: General. Phone: (207) 853-6021 Perry.
Machias Mid-Coast Hospitality House: General. Phone: (207) 594-1422, 169 Old County Road, Rockport.
Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter: Providing emergency shelter and food to homeless and displaced people in Franklin, Kennebec, Somerset and Waldo counties. The Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter provides emergency overnight shelter every day. The Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter has 17 beds and 2 cribs. Part of the shelter is set up for families. The Shelter also provides evening and morning meals, showers, bedding, laundry facilities, links to other area services, short-term preventative case management, and access to the Waterville Social Club, and much more. Phone: (207) 872-8082, PO Box 2612, 28 Ticonic St., Waterville, Contact: Julienne Begin, Office Manager.
Milestone: Substance abuse. Phone: (207) 775-4790, 65 India Street, Portland.
My Choice - Bangor: pregnant teens and women. Phone: (207) 941-8809 or 1-800-773-9595, 181 State Street, Bangor.
My Choice – Portland: Pregnant teens and women. Phone: (207) 772-3678, 306 Congress Street, Portland.
New Beginnings: Youth ages 12-21 who are runaways, homeless, or at risk of being homeless. Phone: (207) 778-6193, 124 Main St. Suite 103, Farmington.
New Hope For Women: Abused partners and their children. Phone: (207) 594-2128, 1-800-522-3304, PO Box A, Rockland.
Oxford Hills Family Shelter: Family. Phone: (207) 739-6502, 5 Porter Street, South Paris.
Oxford Street Shelter: General. Phone: (207) 761-2072, 197 Oxford Street, Portland.
Preble Street Lighthouse Shelter: Youth. Phone: (207) 774-3073, 65 Elm Street, Portland.
Rumford Group Home: Youth. Phone: (207) 369-9230 or 1-800-550-3551, 346 Pine Street, Rumford.
Rural Community Action Ministry Emergency Shelter (RCAM): RCAM operates a two-unit emergency homeless shelter for families who find themselves without a place to live. (Serves the Livermore area) . Phone: (207) 524-5095 or 524-3791, 81 Church Hill Rd., Leeds.
Shaw House: Youth. Phone: (207) 941-2874, 136 Union Street, Bangor Shelter: 795-4070
Sister Mary O’Donnell Shelter: General and youth in Aroostook County. Phone: (207) 764-5114, 745 Central Avenue Presque Isle.
Spruce Run Association: Abused women and their children, people affected by domestic violence. Phone: 1-800-863-9909, PO Box 653, Bangor.
St. Andres Group Home: A place for moms ages 19-29 to stay with their babies. Phone: (207) 783-8003, 188 Sabattus St., Lewiston.
St. Francis Community Home: Mental Illness/Substance Abuse/Domestic Violence. Phone: (207) 469-3018, East Orland.
St. Francis Inn: General. Phone: (207) 469-1988, East Orland.
St. Martin de Porres: Overnight facility with no time limitation. Ten beds (6 for men; 4 for women) by referral only. Phone: (207) 786-4690, 23 Bartlett Street, Lewiston.
Tedford Shelter: General and families. Phone: (207) 725-4871 (General), (207) 729-4583 (Families), 49 Cumberland Street, Brunswick.
The Next Step: Domestic violence. Phone: (207) 255-4785, 1-888-604-8692, Washington County The Next Step: Domestic violence/safe homes – no shelter. Phone: (207) 667-4606, 1-800-315-5579, Ellsworth.
Womancare/Aegis: Domestic violence-safe homes (no shelter-home network) Phone: (207) 564-8165 or 1-888-564-8165
York County Shelters Inc: Homeless individuals and families; people who have mental health, chemical dependency, or dual diagnosis problems. Phone: (207) 324-1137, 147 Shaker Hill Road, PO Box 820, Alfred, ME 04002.
You Are Never Alone: Substance Abuse. Phone: (207) 283-0069, 826 Portland Road, Saco.
Youth Alternatives (YA): Most of our services comes through placement with or referral through the Maine Department of Human Services (DHS), but many are open and available to Maine's communities. Phone: (207) 874-1175, 400 Congress St, Portland.
YA BASS HOUSE in Saco, Maine, is a transitional group home offering a supporting, nurturing and stabilizing environment for younger adolescent males, offering boys an interim stay in one of its six beds.
YA GIRL'S TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM in Portland, Maine, provides a safe, supportive and stable environment for girls from ages 12 to 18 in DHHS custody, DOC custody or family conflict. This six-bed shelter has a maximum stay of 45 days. It is the only emergency shelter exclusively for female adolescents in Maine.
YA HERITAGE HOUSE in South Portland, Maine, is seven-bed residence in a residential community for adolescent females being diverted from jail, or leaving the Maine Youth Center.
YA PERRY'S PLACE in Bowdoinham, Maine, provides a temporary stay for young children just entering the custody of Maine DHHS. This bridge home offers six beds to both boys and girls, allowing siblings to remain together following the separation from their parents.
YA REARDON'S PLACE (formerly the Emergency Shelter for Boys) in South Portland, Maine, is a 10-bed residence that provides immediate care for abused, criminally offending, runaway and homeless adolescent boys ages 12 through 18, in DOC or DHHS custody.
YA ROADS GROUP HOME is a long-term facility for boys who have faltered in many placements, including the Maine Youth Center. Residents are in state custody and/or involved with the juvenile justice system. These are adolescent males who know the system well, and have significant behavioral issues.The agency's flagship program, ROADS is an eight-bed home providing a safe, steady environment guiding residents towards responsible adulthood. Youth and Family Services: Youth. Phone: (207) 474-8574, 627 Middle Road, Skowhegan
MaineHousing’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program provides rental assistance to income-eligible tenants by subsidizing a portion of their monthly rents and paying it directly to their landlords. The assistance provided is the difference between what the tenant pays towards rent (generally 40% of the household’s adjusted gross income) and the cost of the rent. This program helps more than 3,800 low-income Maine households each month.
To apply, request an application from the Department of Healthy and Human Services, 114 Corn Shop Lane, Farmington, Me. 04938, (207) 778-8400. A program agent from the Maine State House Authority is available on the second Wednesday of each month. Applications are accepted by mail or in person. Forms are also available from the Maine State Housing Authority, 353 Water Street, Augusta, Me. 04330, (207) 626-4600; Toll Free # (800) 452-4668. The forms are also available online. The current waiting period on accepted applications is six months to one year.
There are many apartments in the area for seniors, the disabled or people with low income. Below is a list of subsidized housing:
Blueberry Hill Apartments: Phone: (207) 947-6795, Address: Maine Development Association P.O. Box 2219 Bangor, Location: 145 North Main St., Farmington.
Carrabec Park: Phone: (207) 265-4006, Address: R&C Management 62 West Kingfield Rd., Kingfield, Location: Main St., North Anson.
Cranberry Peak: Phone: (207) 265-4006, Address: R&C Management 62 West Kingfield Rd., Kingfield, Location: 49 Old Dead River Rd., Stratton.
Deer Crossing (Hazel Thompson): Phone: 1-800-260-0201, Address: Stanford Management LLC, 45 Casco St. Suite 100, Portland, Location: 264, Titcomb Hill Rd., Farmington.
Ethel Walton Apartments: Phone: 1-800-260-0201, Address: Stanford Management LLC 45, Casco St. Suite 100, Portland, Location: 114 Thompson-Walton Court, Farmington.
Farmington Court Apartments: Phone: (603) 669-8551, Address: Eastpoint Properties Inc. 436 South River Rd. Building B., Bedford, NH 03110, Location: 24 Middle St., Farmington.
Farmington Heights Family Housing: Phone: (207) 739-6559, 795-4065 ext 1187 or 364-3721 ext. 1187, Address: Community Concepts PO Box 278, South Paris, Location: 204 Cascade Leisure Park Road, Farmington.
Fernwold Apartments: Phone: (207) 772-8896, Address: Liberty Management, 130 Middle St., Portland, Location: 60 US Rt.2, Wilton.
Flagstaff Lakeshore Apartments: Phone: (207) 265-4006, Address: R&C Management RR1 Box 1180, Kingfield, Location: 42 Old Dead River Rd., Stratton.
Jay Elderly Housing: Phone: (207) 743-7961, Address: Speedway INC. 2 Madison Ave., Oxford, Location: 17 Lavoie St. Jay.
Jay Hill Apartments: Phone: (207) 743-7961, Address: Speedway INC. 2 Madison Ave., Oxford, Location: 446 Main St., Jay.
Kingfield Elderly Housing: Phone: (207) 265-4006, Address: R&C Management 62 West Kingfield Rd., Kingfield, Location: 62 West Kingfield Rd., Kingfield.
Livermore Falls Terrace: Phone: (207) 775-0852, Address: Vosmus Association, PO Box 1442, Windham, Location: Depot St., Livermore Falls.
Margaret Chase Smith Apartments: Phone: (207) 772-8896, Address: Liberty Management, 130 Middle St., Portland, Location: 195 Fairbanks Rd., Farmington.
Meadowbrook Apartments: Phone: (207) 784-0446 or 1-800-414-7239, Address: Grady Management, 56 Birch St., Lewiston, Location: Meadowbrook Rd., Livermore Falls.
Park Street Apartments: Phone: (207) 743-7961, Address: Speedway INC. 2 Madison Ave. Oxford, Location: Park St., 166 Park St., Livermore Falls.
Rangeley Elderly Apartments: Phone: (207) 773-2906, Address: Ray Lambard, PO Box 1299, Naples, Location: 10 Pleasant St. Rangeley.
Rangeley Town House Apartments: Phone: (207) 621-7700, 1-866-621-7705, Address: C&C Realty Management PO Box 2506, Augusta Location: 4 School St., Rangeley.
Saddleback View Apartments: Phone: (207) 773-2906, Address: Ray Lambard, PO Box 1299, Naples, Location: Allen St., Rangeley.
Shadagee Apartments: Phone: (207) 621-7700 or 1-866-621-7705, Address: C&C Management PO Box 2506, Augusta, Location: Steward St., Phillips.
Sherwood Apartments: Phone Phone: (207) 772-8896, Address: Liberty Management, 130 Middle St., Portland, Location: Middle St., Farmington.
Valley Brook: Phone: (207) 265-4006, Address: R&C Management RR1 Box 1180, Kingfield, Location: 122 North Main St., Strong.
Village Squire: Phone: (207) 778-0607, Address: Carolyn Smith (Foothills Management) PO Box 975, Farmington, Location: 164 Weld Rd., Wilton.
Village View Apartments: Phone: (207) 743-7961, Address: Speedway INC. 2 Madison Ave. Oxford, Location: 101 Village View St., Wilton.
Wilton Senior Housing: Phone: 1-800-539-0142, Address: PropSys, PO Box 660 Lewiston, Location: 11 Eastern Ave. Wilton.
