In groundbreaking work, Genesis community partner Healthy Homeworks creates homeownership opportunities for aspiring first-time homebuyers in downtown Lewiston, Maine, where only 4 percent of residents currently own homes.

Three decades ago, residents of neighboring communities in Midcoast Maine discovered that a local family was living in the hollow of a bridge over the Sheepscot River. What started out as a simple effort to house the family soon expanded as a broader issue came to light—the lack of affordable housing in their rural communities.

For aspiring business owners like Yassin Moussa of Lewiston, Maine, acquiring a loan is often a critical step in embarking on a new enterprise. But for Yassin and others who practice the Islamic faith, the process can be complicated. Many Muslim borrowers are prohibited by their faith practice from paying interest to borrow funds. Most traditional lenders have been unable

For residents who want to “age in place” in their home communities, for members of the workforce, including parents heading single-income houses and workers with disabilities—basically, for everyone who needs affordable rural rental housing like Lester Hersey’s in Aroostook County, Maine (above), it is as important to preserve existing units as it is to build more of them. That’s why

Cooperative Ownership Transforms Mobile Home CommunitiesIn rural communities throughout Northern New England, mobile home communities are a key piece of the “naturally occurring” affordable housing infrastructure. But they are sometimes sold to investor-owners who drive out residents and eliminate affordability.