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V O L . X X X N O. X V I R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / E N G I N E E R I N G I n Rockland, Portland development company Developers Collaborative and Falmouth general contractor Penobscot General Contractors broke ground on Peasley Park, a $17.4 million project at 118 Maverick St. to develop 49 units of affordable senior housing. Rents are projected to range from $622 to $801 for renters earning 60% of area median income or less, with 10 units having vouchers for populations with special needs. It's one of several affordable housing projects Developers Collaborative has in the pipeline, including 115 Congress St. in Belfast and 101 Hancock St. in Rumford, and consulting jobs for the Augusta Housing Authority at 18 Park St. and Malta Street. At 25 Casco St. in Portland, Equality Community Center hired the group to develop 54 units of affordable senior housing, with supportive services for people with disabilities or those living with HIV/AIDS. e city of Augusta also recently selected Developers Collaborative to redevelop city-owned property at 33 Union St. "We've had a pretty steady flow of developments over the last 10 years," says Laura Reading, the collabora- tive's director of affordable housing. "ere's been more attention brought to the need, so there's more attention on development." Hit hard Maine's critical need for affordable housing encompasses rentals and home ownership. Customers run the gamut from young professionals to entry-level workers to retirees. "It's young people who have good jobs but who in many parts of the state can't afford to buy any house," says Nathan Szanton, president of the Szanton Co., a Portland-based housing developer specializing in affordable J U LY 2 2 , 2 0 2 4 22 P H O T O / C R E D I T HOME makers Laura Reading at Developers Collaborative says greater awareness of the need for affordable housing is driving more development, such as the collaborative's Peasley Park project in Rockland. F O C U S P H O T O / DAV I D C L O U G H There's been more attention brought to the need, so there's more attention on development. — Laura Reading Developers Collaborative More affordable housing developments than ever are underway. More are needed B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r

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