After strong start, organizers hope to expand Maine’s guaranteed income pilot program
September 16, 2024
Published by Maine Morning Star | By Eesha Pendharkar
When Zeinab Hijazi moved to Maine in 2022, she used part of the limited money she had to stay in a Portland area motel as she looked for housing. Like others seeking asylum in the United States, the Lebanese mother of two could not legally work for nearly six months, so Hijazi tried to find people who spoke her languages — French and Arabic — at the hotel front desk to seek help. That’s how she met Peace Mutesi.
Mutesi, a fellow single mother who had navigated a similarly frustrating assistance system just a year ago, shared how she managed to secure housing through the Quality Housing Coalition, a Portland-based nonprofit organization where she now works as a project manager.
Published by Maine Public | by Nicole Ogrysko
Published by Portland Press Herald by Hannah LaClaire
Chip Curry is a state senator representing District 11 and serves as co-chair of the Legislature’s Committee on Housing and Economic Development. Victoria Morales is the executive director of Project Home, a Maine nonprofit working to expand housing stability and prevent homelessness. Maine is currently facing a housing crisis that threatens the very fabric of our communities. While there is a consensus that we must build the 84,000 units of housing needed to stabilize our market, that process is estimated to take 20–30 years. Maine families, seniors, and children living on the brink of displacement cannot wait two decades for a roof over their heads. To prevent a catastrophic surge in homelessness today, Maine must continue to fund and prioritize the Eviction Prevention Program (EPP), a statewide initiative that helps renters avoid eviction and remain stably housed.
Peace Mutesi, Director of Economic Opportunity at Quality Housing Coalition, has been named to Mainebiz's 2025 40 Under 40 list. Now in its fourth year, the program recognizes Maine's up-and-coming leaders—the next generation shaping the state and its economy.
