FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dale Hamilton - Community Health and Counseling Services (CHCS)
922-4600 x6488
Community Health and Counseling Services (CHCS) Announces Landlord Liaison Project
Community Health and Counseling Services (CHCS) in collaboration with the City of Bangor and supported by grant funding from MaineHousing is implementing a program to meet the housing needs of people experiencing homelessness in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, with a focus on those experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
The overall goal of the program is to reduce barriers that make it difficult for landlords to rent to those who are experiencing homelessness. The pilot program provides financial assistance to landlords who provide housing opportunities to this population. The financial assistance can be used by landlords to eliminate certain financial risks that landlords have identified as barriers to renting to this population.
Effective immediately, landlords in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties who are interested in meeting the housing needs of people experiencing homelessness can apply for funding to address the following types of issues; security deposits, application fees, installation of security systems, building improvement funding to meet voucher requirements, and building risk mitigation to address damages. In addition to the direct financial support, CHCS will serve as a single point of contact for these landlords and intervene as necessary to address concerns and provide support to the tenant.
Landlords who are interested in participating in this program can contact Jenn Weatherbee at jlweatherbee@chcs-me.org or mhumphrey@chcs-me.org.
Community Health and Counseling Services is a private, nonprofit agency serving northern, Eastern and Central Maine.