How many housing & financial resources are in Maine?

Women's Corner tracks 15 housing & financial resources for women in Maine.

Are housing & financial resources in Maine free?

15 of the 15 listed housing & financial resources in Maine are explicitly free or low-cost.

Which cities in Maine have housing & financial resources?

Listings span cities including Augusta, Portland, Bangor.

What are some examples of housing & financial resources in Maine?

Featured entries include MaineHousing, Maine DHHS — TANF Cash Assistance, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland, Portland Housing Authority, Preble Street — Portland.

Do these listings include phone numbers?

7 of 15 Maine housing & financial listings include phone numbers.

How long is the Section 8 waitlist?

It varies wildly — a few months in smaller markets, 5+ years in cities like LA, NYC, and DC. Apply to multiple Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) in your region. PHAs give preference to families with children, domestic violence survivors, veterans, and homeless applicants — make sure you check every preference box you qualify for.

211 is a free, 24/7 nationwide referral line run by United Way. Call or text 211 to reach a live specialist who connects you to local rent assistance, utility help, food, childcare, transportation, and emergency funds. They know the small local funds Google won't show you. Always start here in a financial emergency.

Can I get TANF as a single mother?

Yes — TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) is the main cash assistance program for low-income parents with minor children. Apply through your state's Department of Human/Social Services. Benefits, time limits, and work requirements vary by state. You can receive TANF and SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, and childcare assistance simultaneously.

What if I'm being evicted?

Call 211 and your local legal aid office the same day you're served — most states have Emergency Rental Assistance programs through the LIHEAP/ERA pipeline that can pay back rent. You have the right to a court hearing before eviction — don't move out before the hearing. DV survivors have additional protections under VAWA that block eviction based on the abuse.

Best Housing & Financial in Maine — 15 resources

About Housing & Financial for Women

Housing and financial assistance for women combines federal programs (HUD, TANF, SNAP, LIHEAP) with state and local efforts. Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and public housing are administered by local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs), with VAWA giving survivors of domestic violence priority and emergency transfer rights. Emergency shelter and rapid rehousing run through HUD's Continuum of Care and Coordinated Entry. Mothers with custodial children typically qualify for TANF cash assistance and family-priority housing. Community action agencies and 211 lines coordinate utility help, emergency funds, and rent assistance. This directory covers PHAs, shelter systems, 211 referral lines, and community action agencies.

Housing & Financial in Maine

Maine district courts handle most family matters; superior courts handle more complex cases and appeals. The Division of Support Enforcement and Recovery operates under DHHS. Portland, Lewiston, Bangor, and Auburn are the largest cities. Pine Tree Legal Assistance and the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence support women, with strong online self-help resources for custody and support.

15 Resources

1. MaineHousing — Free

MaineHousing at 353 Water St in Augusta runs the state's Section 8 voucher program, the First Home Loan for low-income buyers, and Emergency Housing Voucher administration. Mothers exiting DV programs receive priority on some lists. Call 207-626-4600 to ask which waitlist is currently open in your county.

207-626-4600 · 353 Water St, Augusta, ME 04330 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Maine DHHS — TANF Cash Assistance — Free

Maine's TANF program, administered through DHHS Office for Family Independence, provides monthly cash assistance and access to the ASPIRE work-and-training program. Apply online or at any DHHS regional office; call 800-442-6003 if you have an emergency need (no shelter, utility shutoff) for expedited review.

800-442-6003 · Statewide Offices · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland — Free

Builds affordable homes in Portland, South Portland, and surrounding Cumberland County for qualifying first-time buyers earning 30-80% of area median income. Sweat-equity hours required. Call 207-772-2151 to ask when applications are open and whether the current build cycle has openings.

207-772-2151 · Portland, ME · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

4. Portland Housing Authority — Free

PHA at 14 Baxter Blvd manages Portland's public-housing developments and a Housing Choice Voucher program. Survivors of DV referred by a partner agency can qualify for the Emergency Transfer Plan. Call 207-773-4753 to ask whether the voucher waitlist is currently open or if site-based units have availability.

207-773-4753 · 14 Baxter Blvd, Portland, ME 04101 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website

5. Preble Street — Portland — Free

Preble Street at 252 Oxford St is Portland's largest service hub for women experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity — operating the Florence House women-only shelter, a teen center, and the Resource Center day shelter. Call 207-775-0026; the Florence House intake works through coordinated entry.

207-775-0026 · 252 Oxford St, Portland, ME 04101 · 24/7 · Visit Website

6. Community Housing of Maine — Free

CHOM at One City Center in Portland develops and manages over 1,500 units of supportive housing across Maine for women exiting homelessness, recovery, or DV programs. Most units are accessed by referral from a partner agency. Call 207-879-0347 to ask which CHOM properties have current openings.

207-879-0347 · One City Center Suite 200, Portland, ME 04101 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

7. Penquis — Housing Assistance (Bangor) — Free

Penquis at 262 Harlow St in Bangor is the community action agency for Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Knox counties, running LIHEAP heating assistance, Head Start, weatherization, and rental help. Call 207-973-3500 to apply for the energy-assistance season (typically opens August) or to ask about housing-search support.

207-973-3500 · 262 Harlow St, Bangor, ME 04401 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

8. HUD.gov — Find Local Office — Free

HUD's regional Maine field office is located in Bangor and oversees Section 8, public housing, and homeless-services funding to MaineHousing and Continuums of Care. Use HUD.gov to file a fair-housing complaint or find PHAs outside of Portland.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. HUD Homeless Resources — Free

HUD's Continuum of Care portal lists Maine's two regional CoCs — the Portland City CoC and the statewide Balance of State CoC — and explains how coordinated entry routes mothers experiencing homelessness into rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. LIHEAP — Energy Assistance — Free

Maine's LIHEAP-funded Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is administered by MaineHousing through Community Action Agencies like Penquis, Western Maine Community Action, and the Aroostook County Action Program. Apply through your CAA each fall before heating season begins.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Salvation Army — Find Help — Free

The Salvation Army's Northern New England Division runs corps in Portland, Bangor, Lewiston, Augusta, and several smaller Maine towns offering rent assistance, utility help, food, and Christmas/Thanksgiving programs. Use the locator to find your nearest corps' application hours.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Catholic Charities USA — Free

Catholic Charities Maine, headquartered in Portland, offers refugee and immigrant services, parish-based social ministry, and emergency assistance across the state. Most help is need-based rather than faith-based — Catholic Charities serves clients of any religion or none.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. United Way Worldwide — Free

United Way of Southern Maine and United Way of Eastern Maine operate the 211 Maine helpline plus funding for local DV programs, basic-needs grants, and the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) research that documents Maine families one paycheck from crisis.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. Habitat for Humanity — Free

National Habitat affiliate locator — Maine has affiliates in Greater Portland, MidCoast (Bath), York County, the 7 Rivers (Lewiston), and Greater Bangor. Affiliate intake calendars vary, so the national site helps you find the right local office for your zip code.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

15. Family Promise — Free

Family Promise of Greater Portland is the active Maine affiliate, providing rotating shelter at faith-community sites for homeless families with children and intensive case management to move into stable housing. National site explains the model and how to find local affiliates.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many housing & financial resources are in Maine?: Women's Corner tracks 15 housing & financial resources for women in Maine.
Are housing & financial resources in Maine free?: 15 of the 15 listed housing & financial resources in Maine are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Maine have housing & financial resources?: Listings span cities including Augusta, Portland, Bangor.
What are some examples of housing & financial resources in Maine?: Featured entries include MaineHousing, Maine DHHS — TANF Cash Assistance, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland, Portland Housing Authority, Preble Street — Portland.
Do these listings include phone numbers?: 7 of 15 Maine housing & financial listings include phone numbers.
How long is the Section 8 waitlist?: It varies wildly — a few months in smaller markets, 5+ years in cities like LA, NYC, and DC. Apply to multiple Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) in your region. PHAs give preference to families with children, domestic violence survivors, veterans, and homeless applicants — make sure you check every preference box you qualify for.
What does 211 do?: 211 is a free, 24/7 nationwide referral line run by United Way. Call or text 211 to reach a live specialist who connects you to local rent assistance, utility help, food, childcare, transportation, and emergency funds. They know the small local funds Google won't show you. Always start here in a financial emergency.
Can I get TANF as a single mother?: Yes — TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) is the main cash assistance program for low-income parents with minor children. Apply through your state's Department of Human/Social Services. Benefits, time limits, and work requirements vary by state. You can receive TANF and SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, and childcare assistance simultaneously.
What if I'm being evicted?: Call 211 and your local legal aid office the same day you're served — most states have Emergency Rental Assistance programs through the LIHEAP/ERA pipeline that can pay back rent. You have the right to a court hearing before eviction — don't move out before the hearing. DV survivors have additional protections under VAWA that block eviction based on the abuse.