"Maine has always been a beacon of rolling up your sleeves and getting it done. Today, we are celebrating our work to make sure that every person has a decent, safe place to sleep every night." said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan at the grand opening of celebration of Florence House.

The Genesis Fund is proud to be a partner in this milestone effort to help end chronic homelessness. Florence House, which provides emergency shelter and supportive housing for homeless women in Portland, exemplifies our mission - to help create affordable housing for Maine's most vulnerable populations.

Prior to the celebration, Bill Floyd, Genesis Fund Executive Director, chaired a meeting with HUD Secretary Donovan and the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition. "Secretary Donovan was positive and excited about the strides the affordable housing community in Maine is making. We all left the meeting re-energized to continue this important work," Bill Floyd said.

Bob Earnest, Chebeague Island, Ellen Mahoney, Peaks Island, Doug Boynton, Monhegan Island, Liza Fleming-Ives, Genesis Fund


Friday, June 11, 2010 The Genesis Fund joined MaineHousing, the Maine Islands Coalition, and the Island Institute to launch the $2 million affordable housing program for Maine Island communities. Dale McCormick, Executive Director of MaineHousing, Hannah Pingree, Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, and Roger Berle, chair of the Maine Island Coalition all spoke at the event.

Genesis Fund, Associate Director, Liza Fleming-Ives then hosted a group of island community members at the ferry terminal in Rockland, where Don Carrigan of WCSH TV interviewed them for a news feature. Here's the link to the video that ran during the evening news.

"It's like a dream come true, Roger Berle said. Liza's help with the island groups is invaluable, actually beyond invaluable."

In the past five years, the Genesis Fund has helped create 20 units of affordable housing on Maine Islands; and with this program, we expect to double that number in the next few years. We are proud of the role the Genesis Fund has played in this very important work.

In April, the residents of Greystone Mobile Home Park in Veazie purchased the 61 unit park and converted it to cooperative ownership. Resident ownership allows residents to make decisions about lot rental rates and park improvements, creating peace of mind as well as greater financial stability.

Mobile homes represent affordable housing for many Maine residents. Cooperative ownership helps makes sure this housing remains affordable, safe, and stable.