Social Housing Programs

Community Voices for Change - 30 mins - First Aired September 14, 2026 WMPG-FM. Univ of So. Maine - Weekly - Mondays - 7:00 PM Producer & Host: Richard Rudolph, PhD. This program is an interview with two members of the Social Housing Task Force which recently released its Final Report and Recommendations to the Portland City Council regarding the creation of an ongoing Social Housing Program, a dedicated Social Housing revolving fund and begin implementation through two initial pilot programs. Kate Sykes who is a Portland City Councilor who chairs the task force talked about two different housing problems. The existing housing system is not producing enough houses to meet regional needs nor is it producing homes that many working and middle-income households can afford. Both Kate as well as Catherine Buxton who is a member of the task force talked about the key principles behind social housing and how it is different from traditional Federally supported public housing. It would be permanently affordable, mixed income rental housing owned by the City of Portland. It's intended to address the persistent gap in Portland's housing production. It would provide housing for workforce and middle-income households who are not consistently served by existing subsidized housing programs, and would retain the public value created through city investment. They also talked about two pilot models that the committee is considering and the next steps that the City Council will need to take which will include accepting the Final Report, endorsing the Social Housing Program and its core principles and adopting a resolution initiating implementation.