Social Housing Task Force

Portland Housing Authority: Overview Data as of October 9, 2025  About the Portland Housing Authority (PHA) Mission Statement: PHA partners with the community to provide and expand affordable housing and services that improve quality of life, enhance safety, and promote personal success for the people we serve and the neighborhoods in which they reside. Services & Community Alignment: PHA offers long-term affordable housing and rental assistance to over 3,000 low-income families, seniors, and disabled individuals, serving nearly 10% of Portland’s population and 30% of the Public School population.  7 Member Board – Overseeing 4 primary entities 107 FTE, 7 PTE positions PHA Staffing Structure 2 Unions (ASCME & Teamsters) Undergoing Asset Repositioning for all Public Housing sites (767 units 15 Properties converted/568 units 5 properties remaining) Our Primary Entities  PHA Federal • Legal Basis: The Portland Housing Authority (PHA) operates under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, overseen and funded by HUD. Authority • HUD assigns PHAs (Code ME003) to manage public housing and Section 8 in specific areas. • PHA has federal authority to develop and manage affordable housing and rental assistance in Portland, Maine.  Enabling Legislation: Under Maine law, municipalities can establish local housing authorities via a city resolution. • In 1943, the Portland City Council created the PHA State Portland Housing Authority as an autonomous public organization. Authority • While operating independently, the housing (Maine authority addresses the public housing needs of the city and adjoining jurisdiction. Law) State Relationship: PHA functions separately from MaineHousing. • MaineHousing oversees housing finance and policy at the state level. • PHA is responsible for managing local HUD programs and housing services within Portland. • Although they collaborate on funding, each maintains distinct responsibilities and governing boards. • Maine has 23 local housing Authorities + 1 State Housing Authority  • Formation and Governance: The Portland Housing Authority (PHA) was created by the Portland City PHA Council to carry out federal and local housing Municipal initiatives. Though it functions independently, it serves as the City's designated public housing Authority agent, with its board members appointed by the City Council to ensure proper oversight. (City of Portland) • Collaboration at the Local Level: PHA works in partnership with various City departments such as Housing and Economic Development, Planning, and Community Development to coordinate policies and advance the City’s objectives related to housing and homelessness.  Area of Coverage The PHA's jurisdiction • New Gloucester • And the following covers the following cities • North Yarmouth Islands: and towns: • Old Orchard Beach – Chebeague island • Buxton • Portland – Frye Island • Cape Elizabeth • Pownal – Long Island • Cumberland • Raymond – Peaks Island • Dayton • Scarborough • Falmouth • South Portland • Freeport • Standish • Hollis • Westbrook • Gorham • Windham • Gray • Yarmouth  Units Overview The total PHA population is 5,270 For comparison – Avesta Housing serves 4704 residents across units. PHA Public Housing and RAD/LIHTC For comparison Lewiston Housing Authority has properties = 1,335 units. 466, Westbrook Housing @ 500, SPHA @600 Voucher Programs (Housing Choice, For Comparison LHA 914 Leased, WHA 953, SPHA Project-Based, EHV, etc.) 2,136 Leased. 739 About 80% of the PHA community receive assistance via voucher programs.  “Project-Based” Vouchers Assisting Our Partners in Portland • Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) provide rental subsidies linked to specific housing units, not tenants. The housing authority pays part of the rent directly to landlords, and tenants must live in the assigned unit to receive assistance. PBVs often help vulnerable groups and providers who seek to assist them in financing housing developments.  Some of our 35 PBV Partners 155 Danforth PHDC Branigan House (Shalom) Croquet Lane (Shalom) Equinox, Holly St, St. John St., Winding Way, Winter Landing (CHOM) Florence House, Huston Commons & Logan Place (Avesta/Preble) Iris Park (Iris Network) Yale Court Wessex Woods Strive Porter Station Supporting Units for Specialty Populations POPULATION TYPE PROJEC TS SERVI NG NOTES Includes “55+” project Elderly 18 Projects preference Some overlap with Disabled 23 Projects Elderly/Families Includes refugee families and Families 14 Projects special needs families Units vary per project (range 2– Homeless Set-aside 14 Projects 30 units) Homeless Set-Aside Total Units Total Homeless / Supportive Housing PBV Units: 114 Demographics: Gender, Race, <20 RAD LIPH VO Portland Maine (2021 ACS) Female 51 54 55 34817 Male 49 46 45 33246 Female Headed 181 (50%) 308 (59%) 1313 (61%) 2964 (10%) Total Residents 629 1315 4216 68063 Residents <20 yo 192 (31%) 330 (64%) 1412 (33%) @11,625 (17%) White 325 (51%) 640 (49%) 2687 (64%) 54500 (80%) Black/AA 207 (33%) 527 (40%) 1298 (31%) 6050 (9%) Asian 93 (15%) 142 (11%) 202 (5%) 2170 (3%) Other (American Indian, 1% 1% 1% .4% Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander) Demographics: Disabled, Household Size RAD LIPH VO Portland Maine (2021 ACS) Disabled 36% 31% 37% 13% Non-Disabled 64% 69% 63% 87% Elderly (65+) 30% 17% 20% 15% Household size (number of people in the Household) 1 249 (69%) 233 (43%) 1321 (61%) 13627 (40%) 2 43 (12%) 107 (21%) 322 (15%) 9164 (27%) 3 23 (6%) 59 (11%) 211 (11%) 5651 (17%) 4 20 (6%) 55 (11%) 146 (7%) 4127 (12%) 5 15 (4%) 29 (6%) 72 (3%) 1602 (5%) 6 5 (1%) 15 (3%) 47 (2%) 477 (1%) 7+ 5 (1%) 28 (5%) 44 (2%) 102 (.3%)  Demographics: Income and Poverty Levels RAD LIPH VO Portland Maine (2021 ACS) Average HH NA $24,308 $20,072 $83,399 Gross Income % of HH below NA 55% 62% 9% 2024 Federal Poverty Guideline  Summary and Insights PHA serves 5,270 residents; majority via voucher programs. LIPH residents have lowest incomes and highest racial and citizenship diversity and highest percentage of people <20 yo. Voucher participants have higher earnings and smaller households. Disability and elderly representation consistent (≈20–37%). PHA serves more single parent households, disabled households, and households experiencing poverty than the city population as a whole.  Total Families: 21,506 Waiting for Income Levels: • Extremely Low Income: 18,547 (86.24%) Affordable • Very Low Income: 2,471 (11.49%) • Low Income: 395 (1.84%) Housing • Over Income: 93 (0.43%) Choice Family Type: Vouchers: • Families with Children: 7,041 (32.74%) • Elderly Families: 3,425 (15.93%) Statewide • Families with Disabilities: 9,764 (45.40%) • One Household Member: 11,901 (55.34%) Summary Race/Ethnicity: • White: 17,002 (79.06%) • Black or African American: 3,541 (16.47%) • Asian: 364 (1.69%) • Alaska Native or American Indian: 729 (3.39%) • Pacific Islander: 116 (0.54%) • Hispanic or Latino: 1,743 (8.10%) Locality: • Live Local: 2,614 (12.15%) • Work Local: 1,339 (6.23%)  Total Families: 3,297 Income Levels: • Extremely Low Income: 2,462 (74.67%) Waiting for • Very Low Income: 672 (20.38% • Low Income: 139 (4.22%) Housing • Over Income: 24 (0.73%) Choice Family Type: Vouchers: • Families with Children: 978 (29.66%) • Elderly Families: 556 (16.86%) Portland • Families with Disabilities: 1,317 (39.95%) • One Household Member: 1,972 (59.81%) Applicants Race/Ethnicity: • White: 2,405 (72.95%) • Black or African American: 651 (19.75%) • Asian: 104 (3.15%) • Alaska Native or American Indian: 70 (2.12%) • Pacific Islander: 13 (0.39%) • Hispanic or Latino: 197 (5.98%) Locality: • Live Local: 2,614 (79.28%) • Work Local: 1,339 (40.61%) State Local Total Families: 21,506 Total Families: 3,297 Income Levels: Income Levels: • Extremely Low Income: 18,547 (86.24%) • Extremely Low Income: 2,462 (74.67%) (- • Very Low Income: 2,471 (11.49%) 11.57) • Low Income: 395 (1.84%) • Very Low Income: 672 (20.38%) (+8.89) • Over Income: 93 (0.43%) • Low Income: 139 (4.22%) (+2.38) • Over Income: 24 (0.73%) (+.30%) Family Type: • Families with Children: 7,041 (32.74%) Family Type: • Elderly Families: 3,425 (15.93%) • Families with Children: 978 (29.66%) (-3.08) • Families with Disabilities: 9,764 (45.40%) • Elderly Families: 556 (16.86%) (+.93) • One Household Member: 11,901 (55.34%) • Families with Disabilities: 1,317 (39.95%) (- 5.45) Race/Ethnicity: • One Household Member: 1,972 (59.81%) • White: 17,002 (79.06%) (+4.47) • Black or African American: 3,541 (16.47%) • Asian: 364 (1.69%) Race/Ethnicity: • Alaska Native or American Indian: 729 (3.39%) • White: 2,405 (72.95%) (-6.11) • Pacific Islander: 116 (0.54%) • Black or African American: 651 (19.75%) • Hispanic or Latino: 1,743 (8.10%) (+3.28) • Asian: 104 (3.15%) (+1.46) • Alaska Native or American Indian: 70 (2.12%) (- 1.27) • Pacific Islander: 13 (0.39%) (-.15) • Hispanic or Latino: 197 (5.98%) (-2.12) Waiting for Public Housing Waiting for PHA Non-PH  Portland Housing Development Corporation (PHDC) At a Glance 501(c)4 non-profit development entity for PHA Development Activity 2014 -2025 300 new construction units 338 renovated affd. units 334 current public housing units 169 Section 8 Program housing 226 Non-LIHTC/Non-PH units 1,367 TOTAL Owned/Managed units New units in Pipeline: 319 Renovation Units in Pipeline: 569 Units under construction: 330 Front Street Ph 1 Sagamore Village  Sample “Capital Stack” 2015 2025 Bayside Anchor – 45 family apartments 9 Boyd St. (COMB Block) – 55 family apartments Sources: Sources: MaineHousing subsidy - $ 645,725 MaineHousing subsidy - $ 1,000,000 MaineHousing debt - $1,550,788 MaineHousing debt - $11,252,428 City Fed HOME - $ 500,000 City HTF - $ 650,000 LIHTC equity - $5,061,538 FHLB AHP subsidy - $2,000,000 Solar ITC equity - $ 42,642 LIHTC equity - $11,341,682 TOTAL - $7,800,694 Deferred Dev. Fee - $ 500,000 DECD Loan - $ 250,000 TOTAL - $26,958,459 Construction Cost / SF: $156 Construction Cost / SF: $324 Total Dev. Cost / unit: $173,348 Total Dev. Cost / unit: $490,802 City subsidy (non-TIF)/unit: $11,110 City subsidy / unit: $11,818 Sagamore Village  PHA/PHDC Land Status • Before conversions: Declaration of Trust by HUD restricts use to public housing – no mortgages / financing (80% AMI restriction) • Re-Positioning: Under HUD’s Disposition Program PHDC owns land with a Restrictive Use Covenant. All properties permanently affordable, even after tax credit use restrictions expire (80% AMI in perpetuity; LIHTC 60% AMI for 45 years (in perpetuity)) • Last conversions: – Franklin Towers – September 2026 (200 units to be renovated with a lot split for future development) – East Bayside – 5-10 years (134 units with potential for hundreds more under RE-CODE) – Other scattered sites with underutilized land • Other opportunities: – Local “preservation” deals (saving existing “affordable” housing) – New construction projects in the works Recent Projects & Next Steps Riverton Harbor Terrace Sagamore Village COMB Block Park & Franklin 118 under 120 renovated 174 new homes, Towers renovation and homes for seniors Historic renovations many dedicated to 64 new homes completed to improve 400 seniors and families under September 2025 homes where 40 units construction stand  Funding Challenges • Limits of Federal Funding (Losing public housing program; HOME funds flat funded; LIHTC very limited; Buy America restrictions added) • Maine funding oversubscribed 5:1 (4-5 LIHTC projects yearly statewide; Loan product good at Interest only; No State Subsidy for 4% walk-in program, rural or homeownership) • AHTIF fills operating cost gaps and helps PHA access additional funding sources. Operating costs are rising quickly.(Sagamore (no TIF) goes from $0 taxes to $435,000/yr. and City will not pick up trash - $75,000 project cost)  Other Challenges City Fees Substantial fees reduce City support and limit feasibility (planning board; building permit; impact fees, legal and underwriting; ROW infrastructure) Green Building Ordinance Complexity and misalignment with MSHA and PHDC energy standards slows construction of green buildings (PHDC has built largest number of Passive House units in Maine) Environmental Issues Improved coordination of Environmental Reviews is needed to address environmental/brownfield remediation. (City does their assessment and MaineHousing will not use City’s, they must do their own costing time and money) Franklin Towers Towers Questions?