Co-op Housing Session at Maine Affordable Housing Conference on 9/9

[Emmy]

2025 Maine Affordable Housing Conference
Tuesday, September 9
Cross Insurance Center, Bangor, ME

This year's conference will include a focus on legislation affecting housing introduced in the first session of the 132nd Maine Legislature, the current state of Maine’s economy and its impact on housing, modular construction and manufactured housing and the important role they play in maintaining and creating new affordability in Maine, as well as other areas of interest around housing development and programs and services that assist Mainers in their housing needs.

CO-OP HOUSING HIGHLIGHT

Session: ADVANCING COOPERATIVE HOUSING IN MAINE

Speaker: Craig Saddlemire, Cooperative Development Organizer at Raise-Op Cooperative

Description: This session will explore how co-oops can expand homeownership opportunities, strengthen neighborhoods, and build long-term housing stability. Panelists will share examples of cooperative housing models, discuss the benefits and barriers to implementation in Maine, and high strategies for growing this movement statewide.

When: 10:15 AM Breakout Session

CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

Emmy Andersson

Cooperative Maine Business Alliance Network Coordinator

eande...@cdi.coop, em...@maine.coop

Pronouns: She, Her, They

• Sign up for the CMBA Newsletter HERE for regular updates on the Maine Cooperative Ecosystem!
• Become a CMBA Member - are you representing a co-op or just want to support the cooperative movement and development in Maine? Become a member of CMBA!
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[Emmy]

FYI: Maine Housing Conference registration closes at 5 PM on Monday, Sep 1st. Registration cost is $150. 

Emmy Andersson

Cooperative Maine Business Alliance Network Coordinator

eande...@cdi.coop, em...@maine.coop

Pronouns: She, Her, They

• Sign up for the CMBA Newsletter HERE for regular updates on the Maine Cooperative Ecosystem!
• Become a CMBA Member - are you representing a co-op or just want to support the cooperative movement and development in Maine? Become a member of CMBA!
• CMBA on FB
• CMBA on Instagram

[Rachel Lyn Rumson]

Shucks! Not enough time to forward to town officials. We meet on the 9/1.

Rachel Lyn Rumson
207.332.7224

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[Larry Dansinger]

Hi Rachel, Emmy, and Cooperative Maine/CMBA folks,

I expect there will be at least a few town or city officials attending. Who won’t be there are those who are low-income and/or unhoused, in part because conference organizers believe the conference is not for them and have priced the event at $150. However, if people who are low income or are unhoused are some of the recipients of affordable housing and believe, as I do, in the idea of "nothing about us without us,” then this event lacks credibility, in my opinion. They should be involved and participating with others who are part of the affordable housing community, just as it is important for those who support cooperative housing to be there and promote that idea and strategy. People who are low income or unhoused have certain knowledge and experience that others who are attending do not have. If they are missing, planning affordable housing will be based in part on ignorance, not knowledge. 

According to Amanda Ouellette (aouel...@mainehousing.org) from Maine Housing, there are five “scholarships” available to attend at no cost for individuals who are low income or unhoused. This, unfortunately, was not mentioned in any information about the event. Also, unfortunately, five is a totally inadequate number. If individuals sign up by Sept. 1 and email Amanda Ouellette asking that the fee be waived, they should be able to attend, unless the limit of five is passed, and even then, they could complain (for good reason). 

Larry Dansinger
lar...@myfairpoint.net or (207) 262-3706 (no text, leave message)

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cooperativemaine/CAHJViqWFWWfuz6w3j%3DQC0nX5pkq9O0eAsayHJD0T7WhP4a5mfA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jennifer Hill]

Thank you, Larry. You speak for me.

Jennifer Hill, Waldo Maine

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cooperativemaine/B342C0D3-7B1B-4450-B380-B8B8F4320F53%40myfairpoint.net.

[Emmy]

Thank you for digging into this Larry! I think the $150 price is a barrier for a lot of people.

Emmy Andersson

Cooperative Maine Business Alliance Network Coordinator

eande...@cdi.coop, em...@maine.coop

Pronouns: She, Her, They

• Sign up for the CMBA Newsletter HERE for regular updates on the Maine Cooperative Ecosystem!
• Become a CMBA Member - are you representing a co-op or just want to support the cooperative movement and development in Maine? Become a member of CMBA!
• CMBA on FB
• CMBA on Instagram

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cooperativemaine/CAOoxYVNuNRfUkxhZ%3DBqqn%3DriRi%3DdMVp1m4iJ%2BxGVcjOmgxGP7A%40mail.gmail.com.