The numbers, with sources
Every figure on this page says where it came from and when. If a number is old, we say so rather than hide it.
Twenty years, one house at a time
Full of houses, short of homes
Maine has the highest vacancy rate in the country and almost all of it is seasonal. On North Haven the effect is extreme.
And across Maine
Covenant housing is the best-tested tool an island has
Deed covenants, lotteries and below-market pricing are not experiments. Islands up and down the coast have run them for decades, and the results are measurable.
Nine more homes, and a campaign to pay for them
- Match for the $840K MaineHousing rental grant$450,000
- Subsidy to keep South Shore Road homes affordable$700,000
- Energy programs for low-income households$100,000
- Three years of program staffing$375,000
Two rentals at 217 Main Street open by the end of 2026. Two Fish Hawk Road homes are built; up to four more are planned for 2026–2027.
Ten of Maine's fifteen year-round islands have launched housing projects since 2023. The Island Institute aims to help 15 towns and 15 nonprofits bring 1,200 new homes online. Maine's own target rises from 7,600 permits in 2026 to 13,300 a year by 2030. North Haven is a small place with a twenty-year head start.
Where the money goes
From the most recent public Form 990 (FY2024). EIN 20-3828493.
Giving more than quadrupled between 2020 and 2024 as the MaineHousing rentals and Fish Hawk Road moved into construction. Ninety percent of revenue is contributions. Source: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.