The City of Bangor is applying for grant funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This grant opportunity, known as Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing), appropriates $100 million in grant funding for the identification and removal of barriers to affordable housing production and preservation.
The Community Development Division posted its draft application on September 30, 2024, for public comment. CD will accept written comments on its draft until 11:59pm on October 14, 2024. To submit written comments, please email comm.dev@bangormaine.gov.
The City intends to submit its final application to HUD by the application deadline of October 15, 2024. HUD anticipates projects beginning in February 2025.
Summary
These funds will be used to address systemic, regulatory, and underlying barriers to housing production and preservation. The City's proposal places heavy emphasis on equity, affordability, and sustainability to achieve the following outcomes in three main areas:
Planning
To create an Equitable Development Strategy which addresses the institutional factors and systemic impacts to housing access, including an update to the required Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Plan. This Initiative will guide investment decisions in an effort to increase the likelihood that all residents have housing choices throughout the city that are adequate and affordable.
To update land use codes in accordance with the EDI
To evaluate development alternatives that are environmentally conscious and sustainable by prioritizing efficient building materials and components; and by mitigating the effects of climate change upon the urban landscape through green space, parks, micro-forests and canopy programs.
Production: Development of new housing
Establishing a housing trust fund to finance infrastructure improvements, to leverage the City's property assets in residential development, and
To provide gap funding for projects that will provide dwelling units that conform to the development standards of the EDI.
Preservation: Redevelopment of existing housing
To re-establish the Neighborhood Revitalization Stabilization Area (NRSA) targeting investments in neighborhoods with increased vacancy, dilapidated housing, and housing in need of demolition or reconstruction.
To increase the number of quality, affordable dwellings within these neighborhoods by purchasing vacant and dilapidated homes, rehabilitating them and selling single family homes to qualified buyers at 60-80% of market value.
To purchase and rehabilitate multifamily homes for lease to non-profit partners in furtherance of the Homeless Response Program, to provide transitional or supportive housing, or to increase the number of recovery housing available City wide.
To develop a new community land trust with perpetual affordability mechanisms in all future redevelopment projects.