Community Housing of Maine
Community Housing of Maine (CHOM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that as its core mission provides advocacy, supportive housing, community inclusion, and stability for homeless and special needs populations across the state. CHOM also provides workforce housing for people who can't afford to live near their work.
Founded in 1993, CHOM has become the largest supportive housing developer in Maine with some 63 housing sites in 29 communities spanning 12 counties, creating over 519 units of low-income and special needs housing. CHOM develops, owns, and maintains high quality, affordable, service-enriched housing for people with low incomes and disabilities. We have provided stable homes to hundreds of disadvantaged people.
CHOM does three distinct things:
1) Supportive Housing
2) Workforce Housing
3) Advocacy
Supportive Housing: Characteristics of populations served: - People who are homeless
Workforce Housing: Characteristics of populations served:
Teachers, Nurses, Firefighters, Retail
Workers, Police Officers, Social Workers,
- People with low or very low incomes
- People experiencing mental illness
- People with developmental or intellectual disabilities
- People with physical disabilities
- Refugees
- People recovering from addiction
- People living with HIV/AIDS
- People who have been victims of domestic violence
- Homeless Veterans
- People who cant afford to live near their work.
Some examples:
Advocacy: CHOM is also a strong and effective advocate for people with special needs at the local, state, and national level, working to improve policies and funding prioritization, and building coalitions.
Creating Homes and Inclusive Communities
Each of our unique initiatives is a wonderful story of a collective group of caring people pulling together insight, creativity, and resources to meet the complex needs of a particular population in a distinctive setting. We partner with over 30 service providers across much of Maine for individualized, client-centered, community-based housing that gives people with special needs a foundation because they are in stable housing enriched with support.
Whether it is Supportive Housing or Workforce Housing, our housing makes everyone proud it is of high quality, and is constantly updated to meet the evolving needs of our consumers and service providers. Clients have a strong sense of ownership we want them to this is their housing; this is their home. We on the front lines have the pleasure of hearing the direct compliments: This housing has changed my life, opened up opportunities, and given me a chance to make my life better. Thank you for giving me a place to make my life work out. I dont know where I would have been without it.