BAYSIDE, PORTLAND, Maine – The Equality Community Center (ECC) will celebrate the grand opening of Equality Commons, a 54-unit affordable senior housing community at 25 Casco Street in downtown Portland. The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place Wednesday, August 19, at 3 p.m.
Located next door to the Equality Community Center at 15 Casco Street, Equality Commons is Maine’s first affordable senior housing community developed in partnership with an LGBTQ+ community center, with programs and services specifically designed to support LGBTQ+ older adults.
The project adds 54 affordable homes for residents age 55 and older, contributing to the City of Portland’s efforts to address its shortage of affordable housing. It also provides a safe and inclusive environment where LGBTQ+ older adults, other marginalized community members and their allies can age with dignity while remaining connected to community.
“Equality Commons brings affordable housing, community resources and LGBTQ+-affirming services together in one location,” said Ed Gardner of Gardner Real Estate, an ECC founding member and Chair of the Housing Committee.
LGBTQ+ older adults can face higher risks of poverty, social isolation, chronic health conditions, discrimination and unstable or hostile living environments. Many are more likely to live alone and have limited family support or caregivers, and may encounter discrimination in rental housing because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. As people age and become more reliant on others for care and support, some also fear discrimination or retaliation if they are open about who they are.
Equality Commons is open to all residents age 55 and older, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Apartments are affordable to households earning approximately 50 to 60 percent of the adjusted median income for the greater Portland area, as determined by MaineHousing. More than 250 people have joined the waitlist for the 54 apartments. Leasing is underway, and the waitlist remains open.
Equality Commons includes studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, a community room, retail café with outdoor space, back patio, laundry facilities and a bike room. Nineteen apartments are accessible, including 12 beyond the seven required. Eleven accessible units are set aside for residents living with disabilities, including HIV/AIDS, in partnership with the Frannie Peabody Center.
One future resident, who came out later in life, said Equality Commons offers an opportunity to age in a welcoming environment.
“I spent much of my life hiding a part of who I was. Coming out later in life changed everything. Equality Commons gives me something I never thought I’d have – a safe place to grow older, surrounded by people who see me, understand me and let me be my authentic self.”
Downtown Location and Proximity to ECC Connects Residents to Resources
The downtown location provides convenient access to public transportation, health care, social services, restaurants, entertainment, parks and recreation. Living next door means Equality Commons residents will have easy access to the programs, social activities, educational opportunities and community resources available through ECC, while remaining connected to the larger LGBTQ+ community. Founded in 2015, the Equality Community Center is Maine’s first and only LGBTQ+ and social justice-focused community center. Its home at 15 Casco Street provides space for community organizations, programs, events and services, including a self-serve café, reading room and lending library, art gallery, meeting and event spaces, and the Safe Combinations thrift store.
“Equality Commons is an extension of what we have always believed at ECC: community matters,” said Christopher O’Connor, ECC Executive Director. “We wanted to create more than affordable housing. We wanted to create a place where people can make friends, build relationships, find resources, take part in community life and know that they belong.”
Project Details
The $23.5 million project was funded through public and private financing, including Maine Affordable Housing Tax Credits, federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, a commercial bank loan and a tax increment financing agreement with the City of Portland. MaineHousing selected Equality Commons as one of four projects statewide to receive financing in 2024.
The project received $9.7 million in tax credit equity from the Evernorth 481 Fund II (TD Bank, N.A.), along with additional support from the Genesis Community Loan Fund.
Equality Commons was designed by Ryan Senatore, constructed by Penobscot General Contractors and developed by Developers Collaborative. The Portland Housing Authority will manage the property.
The project also received a generous grant from the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation to support improvements that will make Equality Commons safer and more comfortable for residents: common-area
furnishings, entertainment technology, security cameras, the build-out of the retail space and other improvements.
The grand opening will bring together residents, community members, project partners, supporters and elected officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the development.
For more information, visit eccmaine.org/housing.
