WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and Angus King announced today that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded two Housing Preservation Grants to Penquis Community Action Program Inc. (Penquis CAP) and Western Maine Community Action (WMCA) to support housing rehabilitation projects in Franklin, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Knox, and Waldo Counties.
 
“This important investment will help low-income families across Maine maintain good, safe homes,” the Senators said in a joint statement. “Maine’s bitterly cold winters present serious challenges for our state’s most vulnerable families, and this funding will help dozens of Mainers prepare their homes for the coming months.”
 
USDA’s Housing Preservation Grant program provides grants to sponsoring organizations for the repair or rehabilitation of housing occupied by low and very low-income individuals. The rural development funds provided through this program will be combined with funding from other Maine-based organizations to provide assistance to those in need.
 
The funding totals are as follows:
  
WMCA:          USDA Grant: $25,000
                        Funding from other organizations: $67,000
                        Total: $92,000
 
Penquis CAP: USDA Grant: $25,000
                        Funding from other organizations: $230,800
                        Total: $255,800

 ###