Community Housing of Maine

10/30/2026

Your perspective matters!

CHOM is developing a new three-year strategic plan, and we’d love your input as we think about what’s ahead.

We want to hear from residents, partners, providers, funders, advocates, community members, and others who know CHOM and our work.

-What is CHOM doing well?
-Where are there opportunities to improve?
-What needs and opportunities should CHOM consider as we look ahead?

Our short survey takes approximately 5-7 minutes to complete.
Responses are anonymous, all questions are optional, and your feedback will help inform CHOM’s priorities and direction for the years ahead.

Please respond by 11/20!

TAKE THE SURVEY: https://forms.gle/EYQrFLyNSnerGuyz9

Thank you for helping shape CHOM’s future. We’re excited about what’s ahead and grateful to have you as part of the conversation! ✨

Community Housing of Maine (CHOM) is developing a new three-year strategic plan, and we'd love your input! This short survey will help us understand what CHOM is doing well, where there are opportunities to improve, and how we can best advance our mission and strengthen the communities we serve in t...

10/23/2026

It was a whirlwind trip to Washington, DC yesterday as CHOM’s Director of Mission Advancement, Vickey Merrill, was recognized by The Advocacy Association as one of its Top 20 Advocacy Professionals of 2026! And we were so glad CHOM’s Director of Operations, Samantha Messick, could join her for the adventure and celebration. 🎉

For Vickey, the recognition is also an opportunity to celebrate the people and partnerships behind the work:
“What makes advocacy powerful is the people behind it. I’m incredibly lucky to work alongside colleagues, partners, and advocates who care deeply about housing and the people and communities we serve. I’m so honored by this recognition, but even more grateful to be part of a community that keeps showing up, speaking up, and pushing this work forward together.”

We’re also grateful to The Advocacy Association for shining a spotlight on advocacy and the people who dedicate themselves to this work. Advocacy is integral to CHOM’s mission and to our work to create homes and inclusive communities, because lasting change requires not only creating housing, but helping shape the systems and policies that make housing possible. Vickey was in incredible company among this year’s Top 20, and CHOM was honored to see her work recognized alongside 19 other remarkable advocacy professionals whose leadership and commitment are making a difference across issues and communities.

From CHOM colleagues and partners to advocates and community leaders across Maine, there are so many people who bring their expertise, voices, and commitment to this work every day.

We’re proud of Vickey, and grateful for all the people who make this work possible. 💚

A memorable event, a meaningful celebration, and a wonderful reminder of the power of advocacy and community.

10/16/2026

There was a lot to be thankful for as we came together to celebrate FUSE Greater Portland!

What began more than 11 years ago as Long Term Stayers grew and evolved over time into FUSE Greater Portland, bringing together so many treasured community partners around a shared commitment to better serving people in our community. Along the way, the work changed as our community and systems changed, but the relationships and willingness to work together remained at its heart.

As FUSE comes to a close, we’re reflecting with so much gratitude on the people, partnerships, conversations, and connections that have shaped this work over the years. FUSE brought people together around a shared commitment to creating stronger systems and better outcomes for people in our community, and none of it would have been possible without the incredible partners who showed up along the way.

And while this marks the end of FUSE as an initiative, the gathering was much more about celebrating what this group has accomplished than saying goodbye. Perhaps most meaningful is how much the system around this work has grown and evolved along the way. The collaboration and relationships built through this initiative are now woven into broader efforts happening across our community, with a strong network of partners continuing to carry the work forward.

Our celebration gave us a chance to pause, look back, share some memories, enjoy some delicious food, and most importantly, say thank you. 💚

To everyone who has been part of FUSE over the years, we are so grateful for everything you brought to this work and for the relationships that will carry forward into what comes next.

Cheers to FUSE, to how far we’ve come together, and to everything still ahead! 😊🤝



Note: Not all of the people and organizations that participated in FUSE over the years were able to join us for our final gathering and sadly are not pictured here. We are incredibly grateful for their partnership, contributions, and support throughout this journey as well.

10/09/2026

We're proud to share that Brian Kilgallen represented CHOM today at the National Community Development Association (NCDA) Region I New England Fall Conference, co-presenting alongside Laura Reading of Developers Collaborative. Together, they discussed lessons learned, challenges, and practical strategies for navigating Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements, including the waiver process and ways municipalities can help support successful affordable housing development.

These conversations matter. 🏠

Affordable housing developers across Maine and the country support the goals of strengthening domestic manufacturing and American supply chains. At the same time, we've seen firsthand how implementation challenges, documentation requirements, product availability issues, and waiver delays can create barriers that slow urgently needed housing projects.

CHOM has been actively engaged in advocacy around BABA implementation, helping elevate real-world experiences from the field and identify practical solutions that support both American manufacturing and affordable housing development. Opportunities like this panel help ensure municipalities, policymakers, developers, and community partners can learn from one another and work toward approaches that keep housing moving forward.

Thank you to NCDA for the opportunity to share these experiences and contribute to an important conversation about how we build more affordable homes and stronger communities. 🤝

10/02/2026

We're excited to share that CHOM Executive Director Kyra Walker was recently featured in a Mainebiz article highlighting nonprofit leaders across Maine and the work they're doing to guide their organizations through change, growth, and opportunity.

In the article, Kyra reflects on returning to CHOM and the mutual respect, trust, and shared commitment that supported a smooth leadership transition. She also discusses efforts to strengthen CHOM's future through thoughtful board development and inclusive leadership.

Importantly, the article also highlights something we see every day: Maine's nonprofit sector is filled with dedicated leaders and organizations working together to solve complex challenges, strengthen communities, and improve lives. We are fortunate to be part of a statewide network of people and organizations committed to creating positive change in communities across Maine.

We also appreciated the focus on balancing continuity with growth, and honoring what works while embracing new opportunities. As we look ahead, we're excited for what's to come and grateful to be on the journey with our residents, staff, Board, community partners, and the many leaders across Maine who are working every day to strengthen their organizations and communities.

Thank you to Mainebiz for spotlighting the people and organizations helping shape Maine's future!

🔗 Read the article here: https://mainebiz.biz/article/nonprofit-leaders-aim-for-continuity-as-well-as-progression/

09/10/2026

Recently Preservation Management, Inc. site staff brought residents together for back-to-school celebrations across many of our family communities. The photos shared here come from gatherings at Equinox and Elm Terrace, where families came together for pizza, children picked up backpacks filled with school supplies, and neighbors spent time connecting before the start of a new school year. 🎒💙

At Equinox, 15 backpacks found their way to students and families, and four pizzas quickly disappeared as residents of all ages gathered to celebrate. Like the events held at our other family properties, these gatherings were about more than preparing for the first day of school. They were an opportunity to reconnect with neighbors, welcome new families, and strengthen the relationships that help turn a housing community into a place where people truly belong.

And if these photos are any indication, the celebrations were a success. The bright smiles, excitement, and laughter on display lit up our day and served as a powerful reminder of the joy that comes from coming together as a community.

At CHOM, we know that a safe, stable home creates the foundation for so much more than housing. It creates opportunities for friendships to form, children to thrive, families to feel connected, and communities to grow stronger together. Moments like these remind us that some of the most meaningful parts of community life happen around shared meals, laughter, and time spent with neighbors.

To all of the students who headed back to school last week, we wish you a wonderful year filled with learning, growth, new friendships, and exciting opportunities ahead. We're cheering you on every step of the way and can't wait to see all that you'll accomplish this year! 🎉

08/29/2026

As comes to a close, we're left with one simple truth:

Everyone deserves a place to call home 🏡

This week, we've shared stories of resilience, recovery, partnership, community, and hope. While every story was unique, they all had one thing in common: the stability, support, and opportunity that supportive housing provides.

Because when people have housing, they can focus on their health. Reconnect with family and friends. Pursue education and employment. Work toward recovery. Build community. Plan for tomorrow.

Housing doesn't solve every challenge. But it's where so many solutions begin.

At CHOM, we're proud to be part of that work, but we're only one piece of a much larger puzzle. Supportive housing succeeds because of residents, service providers, healthcare partners, funders, developers, contractors, advocates, government agencies, and community members working together toward a shared goal.

Safe, stable housing creates something powerful: the opportunity for people to focus less on surviving and more on living, growing, and thriving.

As communities across Maine continue to face increasing housing needs, continued investment in supportive housing is essential. The stories we've shared this week remind us what is possible when people have access to housing and the support they need to succeed.

The need is growing. So must our commitment to meeting it. 🤝

Help us continue building communities where everyone has the opportunity to belong and succeed.

Learn about supportive housing. Advocate for housing solutions in your community. Share with others why . Support the organizations, partnerships, and investments that make this work possible.

Together, we can help more people access the foundation of a place to call home, strengthen our communities, and create pathways to a brighter future.

Because everyone deserves the opportunity to not just survive, but to thrive. 🌟

08/28/2026

The Team Behind the Scenes 🌟

As we celebrate , we've been highlighting the residents, service providers, and partners who help make supportive housing successful.

Today, we're shining a light on another essential piece of the puzzle: the CHOM team members working behind the scenes every day to help our communities thrive.

Supportive housing doesn't stop when someone receives the keys to their new home.

There are leases to navigate, questions to answer, maintenance requests to coordinate, inspections to complete, and countless details that help a community run smoothly. There are also the moments that don't show up on a work order or checklist. The phone calls when someone is overwhelmed. The extra patience needed to navigate a complicated process. The reassurance that help is available and someone is listening.

Our Asset Management team carries much of this work each day. They help residents navigate housing systems, coordinate property operations, maintain safe and welcoming communities, and serve as a steady source of support when challenges arise.

While every member of the CHOM team plays an important role in advancing our mission, this group often carries some of the heaviest day-to-day responsibilities in supportive housing. Their compassion, professionalism, persistence, and care help transform housing from simply a place to live into a place where people can build stability and feel at home.

This week, we're grateful for everything they do, often behind the scenes and without recognition.

Because supportive housing works because of people. And we're fortunate to have some incredible people helping make it possible every day. 🎉

08/27/2026

What does supportive housing look like?

This , we're celebrating the people, partnerships, and purpose behind supportive housing.

Supportive housing is about so much more than four walls and a roof.

It's thoughtful design. It's creating spaces where people can feel safe, respected, and at home. It's communities designed with dignity, stability, and opportunity in mind.

From architects, engineers, contractors, and property management teams, to funding partners like MaineHousing and the legal, financial, environmental, and community partners who help bring projects to life, supportive housing is made possible through collaboration.

We're especially excited to celebrate the release of MaineHousing's Supportive Housing RFP, an investment that will increase supportive housing opportunities across Maine!

Every foundation poured, wall raised, and apartment completed is a shared commitment to ensuring people have a safe, stable place to call home.

Supportive housing starts long before move-in day. It begins with a vision and partners working together to make it a reality.

Every apartment starts with a foundation. So does every supportive housing success story. 🏗️

Since supportive housing is about more than four walls and a roof, it's easy to overlook how important those walls and that roof truly are. They create the foundation where stability can take root and brighter futures can grow.

This week, we're especially grateful for the developers, designers, builders, and partners who bring these communities to life. Their thoughtful design, craftsmanship, and commitment make supportive housing more than housing. They're creating places where people can feel safe, respected, and at home. Places where burdens can be lifted, and residents can set down the weight they've been carrying, take a deep breath, and begin to focus on what's possible. Because when housing is created with dignity and purpose at its core, every detail communicates something important: you are valued, you are respected, and you deserve a place to call home.



Scroll through for a quick glimpse at a few housing transformations & just some of the many people who helped make them possible!

08/26/2026

Supportive Housing Week: Honoring Service, Stability, and Partnership 🤝

We know supportive housing is about more than a place to live. It's about combining housing and services to help people build stability and move forward.

That's why we're especially proud of the work happening at our supportive housing community for veterans in Waterville!

Over the past year, CHOM and Preble Street's Veterans Housing Services (VHS) team have worked together to strengthen this community and better serve veterans experiencing homelessness.

Today, we're celebrating that partnership and two of the residents who help make this community special: Mark and Aydyn.

Mark holds a special place in this story. As the first resident to move in following the program's relaunch, he represents an exciting new chapter for the community. Seeing the smile on his face the day he received his keys is a moment we'll carry with us for a long time!

Their journeys remind us why supportive housing matters. Every veteran deserves a safe place to call home, access to the support they need, and a community that believes in their future.

We're deeply grateful to our steadfast partners at Preble Street Veterans Housing Services. Their expertise and commitment to veterans have been instrumental in shaping this program and helping veterans across Maine find housing, stability, and renewed opportunity. Just as importantly, they bring compassion, persistence, and a deep belief in the people they serve every single day.

As the VHS team recently shared, "We are so proud that the partnership between CHOM and Preble Street Veterans Housing Services at the Landing Zone is bringing unhoused Veterans home. Ending Veteran homelessness in Maine is not something we can accomplish alone, and with great partners like CHOM at our side, we don't need to."

We couldn't agree more.

To Mark, Aydyn, and all the veterans who call this community home: thank you for your service and for allowing us to be part of your journey. We are proud to walk alongside you.

And to our partners at VHS: thank you for showing every day. 🌿✨