ProjectHOME - Maine’s leading housing navigation program
November 13, 2023
Published by Bangor Daily News | By Zara Norman
Maine housing agencies are incentivizing landlords to provide homes to vulnerable tenants, a strategy that is working but remains difficult to scale up due to a shortage of overall units.
Groups from Caribou to South Portland are offering local landlords financial guarantees and logistical support if they offer units to Maine families experiencing housing instability and homelessness. Two groups using this strategy, Portland’s Quality Housing Coalition and the Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter of Waterville, have found permanent homes for just under 200 families – many of whom have experienced chronic homelessness – this year alone.
Project Home, the Portland group’s flagship program, has an applicant pool of over 2,000 families waiting to be matched with a unit right now. That underscores the short supply of housing statewide that is driving up costs and limiting how far they can reach, although policymakers largely see them as successes to date.
“Given that we’re in the middle of a shortage, and we will be for a while, probably, I think this is probably one of the best tools we have,” Erik Jorgensen, director of government relations at MaineHousing, the state’s housing authority, said.
Dozens of people, including advocates, formerly unhoused people and social services providers, urged state lawmakers Friday to continue a program meant to help low-income renters stay in their homes.
The Quality Housing Coalition (QHC) proudly announces its Executive Director, Victoria Morales, has been honored with the Maine Association for Public Interest Law's (MAPIL) Excellence in Public Service Award. Presented annually by MAPIL in collaboration with the Maine Justice Foundation, the Maine Trial Lawyers Association, and the University of Maine School of Law, the award recognizes individuals who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to public interest law and service to vulnerable populations in Maine. Victoria Morales, who leads QHC in its mission to prevent homelessness and ensure housing stability for low-income individuals and families in Maine, has been at the forefront of addressing the state’s affordable housing crisis. Under her leadership, QHC has provided stable housing to more than 1,200 households and 3,000 individuals through initiatives like Project HOME, a program that partners with landlords to house and stabilize families and individuals in crisis. Before joining QHC, Morales served in the Maine House of Representatives focusing primarily on policies that remove barriers to access to opportunities for low-income people, including housing and criminal justice reform. As an attorney, she has long advocated for low-income Mainers trapped in crisis systems. Her leadership at QHC reflects this deep commitment to justice and equity. “MAPIL could not have selected a better recipient of the Excellence in Service Award than Victoria,” said Neil J. Kiely, CEO of Androscoggin Bank. “She is a dynamic, innovative, and compassionate leader with a long track record not only of public service but serving as a truly effective change agent. She contributes at every level, from positively shifting the arc of individual lives to strategically advocating for system change. Maine is fortunate to count her as one of our own.” "I am deeply honored to receive this award," said Victoria Morales. "It is a reflection not just of my own efforts, but of the critical collective work being done by the team at the Quality Housing Coalition, our partners, and countless advocates across Maine. Ensuring everyone has access to safe, stable housing is fundamental—and I’m proud to stand with those working every day to make that a reality for all Mainers." This recognition highlights the essential link between legal advocacy, public policy, and direct action in addressing complex challenges like housing insecurity. About Quality Housing Coalition (QHC): The Quality Housing Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving housing stability and quality of life for low-income adults and children in Maine. QHC provides resources, direct assistance, and advocacy to address immediate housing crises and promote systemic change for long-term housing security. Learn more at qualityhousingcoalition.org. About MAPIL: The Maine Association for Public Interest Law (MAPIL) is a student organization at the University of Maine School of Law dedicated to promoting careers in public interest law and supporting students pursuing these vital paths.
The Maine Association for Public Interest Law (MAPIL) auction is a time honored Maine Law tradition, one that has been going strong for 37 years. An integral part of this tradition is also the presentation of the Excellence in Public Service Award, conferred to a Maine Law alum who has dedicated their career to lawyering in the public interest. This year’s recipient, Victoria Morales ‘05, currently serves as Executive Director of Quality Housing Coalition, a Maine-based nonprofit devoted to tackling the many facets of the affordable housing crisis in the state
For the last four years, the authority has been circulating 17 housing vouchers for young people aging out of foster care. Now they are getting an additional 13.
