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V I E W P O I N T S W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 3 J U LY 2 2 , 2 0 2 4 From the Editor H ousing has been a hot-button issue in the past four years, with the soaring cost of homes and escalating interest rates. e lack of affordability and availability of homes has vexed businesses that are already struggling to find workers. If workers can't find homes, they aren't going to be able to say "yes" to job offers. But we are increasingly seeing efforts to create more affordable housing. Senior Writer Laurie Schreiber looks at afford- able housing projects in the works in Scarborough, Portland, Bangor, Madison, Augusta, Bath, Lewiston and Bridgton. e state agency MaineHousing alone is involved in 86 developments that will net more than 3,500 housing units of various types. "Over the last five years, there's been the recognition that hous- ing is a big deal in Maine and around the country," MaineHousing's executive director, Daniel Brennan, says. "ere seems to be a collective understanding at the federal and state level that housing is a really big deal and that we've got to do something." Laurie's story, "Home makers," starts on Page 22. One group that has been increasingly active in the housing market is Generation Z, those born after 1997. It seems counterintuitive, but young people are buying homes, as Senior Writer Renee Cordes writes. "Culturally, there's a growing appre- ciation for homeownership among the younger crowd, driven by the stability and investment potential it offers despite market challenges," one broker told Renee. See "'Zoomer' housing boom," which starts on Page 16. With housing growth comes retail, including coffee shops. Staff Writer Alexis Wells talks to the new president of Aroma Joe's to see what the fast- growing chain looks at when it selects a site for a coffee shop. See "Wake up and smell the coffee," which starts on Page 28. Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz Featured @ Mainebiz.biz For a daily digest of Maine's top business news, sign up for the Mainebiz Daily Report at mainebiz.biz/enews For all the business news in Maine, be sure to subscribe to the Mainebiz Daily Report and Real Estate Insider newsletters. Here's the top content from July 1–15: 1. Former Starbucks location in Portland's Old Port is leased by Maine handbag brand 2. After legal fight, owner of Lumbery in Cape Elizabeth wants to sell for $1.25M 3. On the Record: Portland hotel executive says summer bookings are strong, but more last-minute 4. Affordable senior housing development opens in Scarborough 5. After nine generations, Cape Elizabeth farm closes strawberry fields forever 6. Milo might be among 5 Maine places where Walgreens will close stores 7. In search of sustainable source of wood, Lewiston guitar maker buys saw mill 8. Fill in the blank: In general, the cost of a four-year college education is … (Poll question) 9. Former Portland wealth management CEO hangs out a shingle as coach, consultant 10. Emergency treatments: Trying times for Maine's rural hospitals spark entrepreneurial approaches P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y RO U G H & T U M B L E 1 It seems counterintuitive, but young people are buying homes. bernsteinshur.com Meet Asha. A licensed professional engineer turned attorney with 20 years of construction industry experience, Asha is an authority in the industry, focusing on litigation and contract negotiations for complex building and energy clients. We're attorneys. But we're people first. Asha Echeverria, Attorney and Shareholder Maine is seeing efforts to create affordable housing and get young people into homes

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