Maine is aging. And with its population getting older every year, it’s getting more and more difficult for seniors to secure affordable housing – particularly for lowerincome individuals and families facing stagnant Social Security benefits and a rising cost of living.
Question 2 on the upcoming November ballot attempts to address some of those issues by re-vamping the state’s shaky housing stock. The Senior Affordable Housing Bond, as it’s called, authorizes the sale of $15 million in general obligation bonds – to be used in conjunction with more than $22 million in leveraged funds – for the construction of about 225 affordable housing units spread strategically throughout the state.
The Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, which has come out in favor of the referendum, claims that at least one of these properties will likely be located in York County. If voters approve the bond, it would provide muchneeded housing relief for aging people in an area of the state experiencing high population growth.
The bond would not fully address the concerns of Maine’s aging residents. The projected 225 energy-efficient senior housing units would put a small dent in the estimated 9,000-unit shortage in the state. But it’s a good start, and it’s what our seniors need.
That figure – the shortage of about 9,000 units – is one result gleaned from a study the Maine Affordable Housing Commission recently contracted with Massachusetts-based research firm Abt Associates. Other statistics point to hardships among seniors that will become untenable if left unaddressed. Percentage-wise, Maine is the oldest state in the country, with nearly one-third of the population in the 55-and-older age bracket. Of those residents, close to 37 percent were found to have low incomes – defined as earnings of 80 percent or less of the area median income. On top of that, more than a quarter of the state’s older population had at least one disabling condition. As if that weren’t enough, Maine was found to have the eighth oldest housing stock in the country. The conclusions one draws from this information is clear: Residents are getting older, and so are their homes.
Action needs to be taken.
Apparently, lawmakers in Augusta agree. The housing bond – co-sponsored by Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves and Republican Senator David Burns – drew near-unanimous, bipartisan support in both houses of the Legislature. Perhaps it was the needs of elders that drew such strong support. Or perhaps it was the projected impact on jobs: The Maine Affordable Housing Commission estimates that each project will typically require 150- 200 Maine workers, ranging from contractors and architects to engineers, accountants and attorneys. Suppliers of building materials also stand to benefit, with an estimated influx of $15 million of revenue for the housing projects.
The positive impact will be felt beyong just seniors and professionals. The new homes will be energy efficient and reduce the state’s energy costs, as well as permanently improving its housing stock. Additionally, millions of dollars in increased state and local revenue is projected to be generated from income taxes, property taxes, building supply sales taxes and development-related fees. Properties constructed through the bond will also typically pay full local property taxes.
“Ask any senior in Maine and they will tell you that their cost of living has gone up,” said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree in a recent statement. “They know that the cost of food and prescription drugs keeps going up, and for anyone who depends on Social Security to get by, it’s becoming harder and harder to make ends meet.”
A successful country, state and community is one that addresses the needs of its struggling residents. We hope citizens vote “yes” on Question 2, and ease the burden on Maine’s most at-risk seniors.
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