Written By Julian Rowand, Arthur Sabiti and Jonah Fertig-Burd
CDI has been working to develop new limited equity housing co-ops in Greater Portland, Maine. This work has accelerated this year with new partnerships, support from the City and a successful proposal for Portland’s first housing co-op. In March, CDI, Raise Op Housing Co-op from Lewison and UHAB (United Homesteading Assistance Board) from NYC, presented to the City of Portland’s Housing and Economic Development Committee about the potentials of cooperative housing to address the affordable housing crisis in Portland. The City then issued a Request for Proposals for three pieces of City-owned land which included a preference for Cooperative Housing and Community Land Trusts.
We started to partner with a team of local developers, now called the Maine Cooperative Development Partners, to put forward a proposal for two of those pieces of city-owned land on Douglass St and Lambert St. Maine Cooperative Development Partners put together an amazing team including an established local developer, architects, landscape architects, engineers and others to develop the proposal and engaged neighbors and the local neighborhood association in two virtual design charrettes. CDI staff, Julian Rowand, Arthur Sabiti and Jonah Fertig-Burd supported this process and have started to organize potential residents, including many people from the immigrant community, into a steering committee that will develop the housing co-ops.
In July, the Housing Committee supported both of the co-op proposals and forwarded the decision to the Economic Development Committee. Later in the month the Economic Development Committee approved the Lambert Village Co-op to move forward to negotiate with the city for the 13 acres site on Lambert St. This will be the first of its kind in Maine, a new construction housing co-op featuring 52 energy efficient homes surrounded by green space with plenty of shared outdoor space for residents. The housing co-op is targeted for folks making 60-100% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and it will provide permanent affordability and home ownership for low income earners. The development of this project will be led by Maine Cooperative Development Partners with CDI organizing the co-op formation efforts and providing technical assistance support for the co-op members and board when it opens.
In August, the Economic Development Committee will make a decision about the Douglass St property. Douglas Commons is a partnership with Maine Cooperative Development Partners and the Szanton Company, with support from CDI. This project will provide a total of 108 units that include 52 unit affordable rental apartment building that will be affordable to people making 50-60% of AMI, developed by the Szanton Company and the Maine Cooperative Development Partners will build 56 units of cooperative housing that will be affordable to members of the co-op that making 60-100% of AMI. Additionally the proposal has shared space, a community garden, solar panels, and is adjacent to a City park. Another development team has proposed a project with affordable rental apartments and market rate condos.
CDI is really excited to expand our housing work into a new area with new partners. Affordable housing is a crisis for our region and country and we need models that will work in our Cities, Suburban and Rural Communities. We are excited to build upon the experience that we have with the ROC model to now work to build new housing in Portland that is owned by the residents and provides permanent affordability. These new housing co-ops will be economically and racially diverse and inclusive and the leadership team at CDI and within the community is reflecting that diversity.
This is exciting! I am recently retired from work as the finance director of a non-profit affordable housing developer and have been one of the developers of the first cohousing community in Iowa City, Iowa.
We have two 4-plex buildings left to build and would like to look at creating a housing coop to own one or more of those buildings. Some of the units would be limited equity and available to occupants with incomes up to 80% of the area median income (about $55K for a one person household).
I am very interested in looking at your project as a model. Would it be possible to look at a proforma, project description or other document that would provide a big picture perspective? If we’re ok’d to move ahead with this we might have more detailed questions.
Do you know of any organization similar to CDI that serves the Midwest?
Thanks for any response!