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Community Housing of Maine

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Community Housing of Maine

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CHOM provides advocacy, supportive housing, community inclusion, and stability for homeless and special needs populations across the state.

As a developer, CHOM collaborates to produce and maintain community-based supportive housing that fosters pride, stability, and wellness. CHOM partners with over 35 service provider agencies to make sure the people housed receive consistent, supportive services to engineer success in housing. CHOM teams with property maintenance companies to ensure that all homes are maintained to rigorous quality standards. With an experienced, highly professional staff, CHOM is able to develop complex projects from large tax credit multi-unit developments, to smaller, customized homes that meet the needs of populations served. Most of CHOM’s properties are in community settings close to services, local support, and public transportation. CHOM works closely with municipal officials, planners, architects, service providers, family members, and community members to thoughtfully design or improve buildings that function efficiently and blend seamlessly into neighborhoods. With the confidence and support of funding institutions including Maine State Housing Authority, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, the Genesis Community Loan Fund, HUD, Rural Development, cities such as Portland and Bangor, banks and private lending institutions, CHOM consistently delivers excellence in new and carefully renovated housing that communicates dignity and respect to individuals served.

10/09/2026

We're proud to share that Brian Kilgallen represented CHOM today at the National Community Development Association (NCDA) Region I New England Fall Conference, co-presenting alongside Laura Reading of Developers Collaborative. Together, they discussed lessons learned, challenges, and practical strategies for navigating Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements, including the waiver process and ways municipalities can help support successful affordable housing development.

These conversations matter. 🏠

Affordable housing developers across Maine and the country support the goals of strengthening domestic manufacturing and American supply chains. At the same time, we've seen firsthand how implementation challenges, documentation requirements, product availability issues, and waiver delays can create barriers that slow urgently needed housing projects.

CHOM has been actively engaged in advocacy around BABA implementation, helping elevate real-world experiences from the field and identify practical solutions that support both American manufacturing and affordable housing development. Opportunities like this panel help ensure municipalities, policymakers, developers, and community partners can learn from one another and work toward approaches that keep housing moving forward.

Thank you to NCDA for the opportunity to share these experiences and contribute to an important conversation about how we build more affordable homes and stronger communities. 🤝

10/02/2026

We're excited to share that CHOM Executive Director Kyra Walker was recently featured in a Mainebiz article highlighting nonprofit leaders across Maine and the work they're doing to guide their organizations through change, growth, and opportunity.

In the article, Kyra reflects on returning to CHOM and the mutual respect, trust, and shared commitment that supported a smooth leadership transition. She also discusses efforts to strengthen CHOM's future through thoughtful board development and inclusive leadership.

Importantly, the article also highlights something we see every day: Maine's nonprofit sector is filled with dedicated leaders and organizations working together to solve complex challenges, strengthen communities, and improve lives. We are fortunate to be part of a statewide network of people and organizations committed to creating positive change in communities across Maine.

We also appreciated the focus on balancing continuity with growth, and honoring what works while embracing new opportunities. As we look ahead, we're excited for what's to come and grateful to be on the journey with our residents, staff, Board, community partners, and the many leaders across Maine who are working every day to strengthen their organizations and communities.

Thank you to Mainebiz for spotlighting the people and organizations helping shape Maine's future!

🔗 Read the article here: https://mainebiz.biz/article/nonprofit-leaders-aim-for-continuity-as-well-as-progression/

09/10/2026

Recently Preservation Management, Inc. site staff brought residents together for back-to-school celebrations across many of our family communities. The photos shared here come from gatherings at Equinox and Elm Terrace, where families came together for pizza, children picked up backpacks filled with school supplies, and neighbors spent time connecting before the start of a new school year. 🎒💙

At Equinox, 15 backpacks found their way to students and families, and four pizzas quickly disappeared as residents of all ages gathered to celebrate. Like the events held at our other family properties, these gatherings were about more than preparing for the first day of school. They were an opportunity to reconnect with neighbors, welcome new families, and strengthen the relationships that help turn a housing community into a place where people truly belong.

And if these photos are any indication, the celebrations were a success. The bright smiles, excitement, and laughter on display lit up our day and served as a powerful reminder of the joy that comes from coming together as a community.

At CHOM, we know that a safe, stable home creates the foundation for so much more than housing. It creates opportunities for friendships to form, children to thrive, families to feel connected, and communities to grow stronger together. Moments like these remind us that some of the most meaningful parts of community life happen around shared meals, laughter, and time spent with neighbors.

To all of the students who headed back to school last week, we wish you a wonderful year filled with learning, growth, new friendships, and exciting opportunities ahead. We're cheering you on every step of the way and can't wait to see all that you'll accomplish this year! 🎉

08/29/2026

As comes to a close, we're left with one simple truth:

Everyone deserves a place to call home 🏡

This week, we've shared stories of resilience, recovery, partnership, community, and hope. While every story was unique, they all had one thing in common: the stability, support, and opportunity that supportive housing provides.

Because when people have housing, they can focus on their health. Reconnect with family and friends. Pursue education and employment. Work toward recovery. Build community. Plan for tomorrow.

Housing doesn't solve every challenge. But it's where so many solutions begin.

At CHOM, we're proud to be part of that work, but we're only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Supportive housing succeeds because of residents, service providers, healthcare partners, funders, developers, contractors, advocates, government agencies, and community members working together toward a shared goal.

Safe, stable housing creates something powerful: the opportunity for people to focus less on surviving and more on living, growing, and thriving.

As communities across Maine continue to face increasing housing needs, continued investment in supportive housing is essential. The stories we've shared this week remind us what is possible when people have access to housing and the support they need to succeed.

The need is growing. So must our commitment to meeting it. 🤝

Help us continue building communities where everyone has the opportunity to belong and succeed.

Learn about supportive housing. Advocate for housing solutions in your community. Share with others why . Support the organizations, partnerships, and investments that make this work possible.

Together, we can help more people access the foundation of a place to call home, strengthen our communities, and create pathways to a brighter future.

Because everyone deserves the opportunity to not just survive, but to thrive. 🌟

08/28/2026

The Team Behind the Scenes 🌟

As we celebrate , we've been highlighting the residents, service providers, and partners who help make supportive housing successful.

Today, we're shining a light on another essential piece of the puzzle: the CHOM team members working behind the scenes every day to help our communities thrive.

Supportive housing doesn't stop when someone receives the keys to their new home.

There are leases to navigate, questions to answer, maintenance requests to coordinate, inspections to complete, and countless details that help a community run smoothly. There are also the moments that don't show up on a work order or checklist. The phone calls when someone is overwhelmed. The extra patience needed to navigate a complicated process. The reassurance that help is available and someone is listening.

Our Asset Management team carries much of this work each day. They help residents navigate housing systems, coordinate property operations, maintain safe and welcoming communities, and serve as a steady source of support when challenges arise.

While every member of the CHOM team plays an important role in advancing our mission, this group often carries some of the heaviest day-to-day responsibilities in supportive housing. Their compassion, professionalism, persistence, and care help transform housing from simply a place to live into a place where people can build stability and feel at home.

This week, we're grateful for everything they do, often behind the scenes and without recognition.

Because supportive housing works because of people. And we're fortunate to have some incredible people helping make it possible every day. 🎉

08/27/2026

What does supportive housing look like?

This , we're celebrating the people, partnerships, and purpose behind supportive housing.

Supportive housing is about so much more than four walls and a roof.

It's thoughtful design. It's creating spaces where people can feel safe, respected, and at home. It's communities designed with dignity, stability, and opportunity in mind.

From architects, engineers, contractors, and property management teams, to funding partners like MaineHousing and the legal, financial, environmental, and community partners who help bring projects to life, supportive housing is made possible through collaboration.

We're especially excited to celebrate the release of MaineHousing's Supportive Housing RFP, an investment that will increase supportive housing opportunities across Maine!

Every foundation poured, wall raised, and apartment completed is a shared commitment to ensuring people have a safe, stable place to call home.

Supportive housing starts long before move-in day. It begins with a vision and partners working together to make it a reality.

Every apartment starts with a foundation. So does every supportive housing success story. 🏗️

Since supportive housing is about more than four walls and a roof, it's easy to overlook how important those walls and that roof truly are. They create the foundation where stability can take root and brighter futures can grow.

This week, we're especially grateful for the developers, designers, builders, and partners who bring these communities to life. Their thoughtful design, craftsmanship, and commitment make supportive housing more than housing. They're creating places where people can feel safe, respected, and at home. Places where burdens can be lifted, and residents can set down the weight they've been carrying, take a deep breath, and begin to focus on what's possible. Because when housing is created with dignity and purpose at its core, every detail communicates something important: you are valued, you are respected, and you deserve a place to call home.

Scroll through for a quick glimpse at a few housing transformations & just some of the many people who helped make them possible!

08/26/2026

Supportive Housing Week: Honoring Service, Stability, and Partnership 🤝

We know supportive housing is about more than a place to live. It's about combining housing and services to help people build stability and move forward.

That's why we're especially proud of the work happening at our supportive housing community for veterans in Waterville!

Over the past year, CHOM and Preble Street's Veterans Housing Services (VHS) team have worked together to strengthen this community and better serve veterans experiencing homelessness.

Today, we're celebrating that partnership and two of the residents who help make this community special: Mark and Aydyn.

Mark holds a special place in this story. As the first resident to move in following the program's relaunch, he represents an exciting new chapter for the community. Seeing the smile on his face the day he received his keys is a moment we'll carry with us for a long time!

Their journeys remind us why supportive housing matters. Every veteran deserves a safe place to call home, access to the support they need, and a community that believes in their future.

We're deeply grateful to our steadfast partners at Preble Street Veterans Housing Services. Their expertise and commitment to veterans have been instrumental in shaping this program and helping veterans across Maine find housing, stability, and renewed opportunity. Just as importantly, they bring compassion, persistence, and a deep belief in the people they serve every single day.

As the VHS team recently shared, "We are so proud that the partnership between CHOM and Preble Street Veterans Housing Services at the Landing Zone is bringing unhoused Veterans home. Ending Veteran homelessness in Maine is not something we can accomplish alone, and with great partners like CHOM at our side, we don't need to."

We couldn't agree more.

To Mark, Aydyn, and all the veterans who call this community home: thank you for your service and for allowing us to be part of your journey. We are proud to walk alongside you.

And to our partners at VHS: thank you for showing every day. 🌿✨

08/25/2026

🌟 Supportive Housing Week Service Provider Spotlight: Bangor Area Homeless Shelter🌟

During , we're celebrating an important truth: supportive housing is more than housing alone. It’s the combination of stable housing and support services that helps people build lasting stability, pursue their goals, and thrive.

That's why we're honored to spotlight our longtime partners at Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, and especially Wendy, whose dedication to residents is extraordinary ✨

We’ve had the privilege of working alongside Wendy for many years, and simply put, she is one of a kind! Her compassion for the individuals she serves is matched by her determination to help people overcome barriers and move forward. She consistently shows up with persistence, empathy, and a deep belief in people's potential.

Those qualities were recognized when Wendy was named BAHS’ 2022 Employee of the Year, an honor that was incredibly well deserved. But anyone who has worked alongside her already knew that.

From delivering Thanksgiving baskets to CHOM residents in Bangor nearly five years ago to celebrating move-in days with residents all along the way (look at those smiles!), Wendy has always gone above and beyond to make people feel connected and supported.

Wendy and all the staff at BAHS go above and beyond to ensure people feel cared for, connected, and supported. They help people navigate difficult transitions, access resources, maintain housing stability, and celebrate milestones that once may have felt out of reach.

This impact is a powerful reminder that supportive housing is about more than housing alone. It's about relationships, support, and a belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed.

Day in and day out, BAHS staff show up with compassion, dedication, and commitment to the people they serve. Their partnership and collaboration make an immeasurable difference in our community.

Please join us in extending heartfelt gratitude to Wendy and everyone at BAHS! Thank you for the life-changing work they do every day. 🌿

📸credit=BAHS

08/24/2026

Supportive Housing Changes Lives. Carolyn's Story Is Powerful Proof.

For many years, Carolyn experienced housing instability, homelessness, unhealthy relationships, and substance use disorder, all of which made it difficult to find lasting stability. At various points, she stayed with friends, in shelters, and even outdoors while trying to navigate immense challenges and rebuild her life. 💫

But Carolyn never gave up.

Carolyn connected with a housing opportunity through CHOM and made the decision to pursue recovery and create a different future for herself. One of the first residents to call her Bangor supportive housing community home, she embraced the opportunity and began building the stable foundation she had been searching for.

Today, nearly eight years later, Carolyn is thriving. She has maintained her sobriety, strengthened relationships with family and friends, overcome significant health challenges, and persevered through the heartbreaking loss of her husband. Through life's ups and downs, the stability of housing provided an anchor, helping her weather life's storms while continuing to move forward. Along the way, she has rediscovered joys that once felt out of reach, including sharing her home with her beloved cats. Most importantly, she has a place that is truly hers. A safe space. A home. And in her own words:
"Since moving into housing with the CHOM program, I have found stability for the first time in many years." "Housing has changed my life for the better. It has made me stronger, improved my outlook on life, and for that, I am forever grateful."

Carolyn's story is a powerful reminder that people are never defined by the hardest chapters of their lives. Her resilience, determination, and commitment to creating a different future are truly inspiring. Through years of hard work and perseverance, she has built a life rooted in connection, purpose, and hope. We are incredibly proud of all that she has accomplished and honored to be part of her journey.

At CHOM, we believe housing is about so much more than four walls and a roof. Housing provides the foundation from which people can heal, reconnect with loved ones, pursue their goals, and build the lives they want for themselves.

Everyone deserves the opportunity to have a place to call home. Everyone deserves the stability, dignity, and support that make growth possible.

This , we invite you to help us spread the word about the life-changing impact of supportive housing. Share Carolyn's story, learn more about supportive housing in Maine, and join us in advocating for solutions that ensure everyone has a safe, stable place to call home.

Carolyn, thank you for sharing your story, your strength, and your journey. We are so proud of you. ⭐💙

08/21/2026

Something special is coming...

Next week, we're joining communities across the country in celebrating Supportive Housing Week!

Throughout the week, we'll be sharing stories of resilience, partnership, community, and the life-changing impact of supportive housing. From inspiring residents to dedicated service providers and community partners, we'll be sharing some incredible stories that remind us why this work matters every day.

We can't wait to introduce you to them.

Stay tuned!

Address

1 City Ctr, Fl 4th
Portland, ME
04101

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://chomhousing.org/donate

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