LH News

A proposed state rental assistance program that would cost $8.5 million annually has strong support from housing advocates from Lewiston.

The Maine State Housing Authority, known as MaineHousing, announced Tuesday it has allocated more than $30 million for nine affordable housing developments across the state.

Androscoggin Bank has secured a $100,000 grant to assist local restaurants and expand a meal delivery initiative organized by Lewiston Housing and Cooking for Community. The bank secured the grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston through their Jobs for New England Recovery Grant program.

The City Council is poised to confirm a partnership this week with the Lewiston Housing Authority and Community Concepts ahead of a deadline to apply for a large federal redevelopment grant focused on the Tree Streets neighborhood.

The managing partner and chef at Boba in Lewiston was contacted by Lewiston Housing to see if he wanted to join Cooking for Community based out of Portland. Pratt was interested, and Lewiston Housing put Pratt in contact with Ellie Linen Low, founding member of the grassroots organization that raises money to fund restaurants that need work to prepare healthy meals for people who need food.

A collection of downtown properties owned by the city will be turned over to Lewiston Housing, a move that officials believe will give the city its best chance at obtaining a federal redevelopment grant of up to $30 million.