ACAP to build transitional housing units in Presque Isle to help people who are homeless

3 years ago

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Aroostook County Action Program is taking steps to help solve Presque Isle’s affordable housing problem.

ACAP will turn its Hope and Prosperity Resource Center at 1 Edgemont drive into transitional housing units. The property will retain all of the resources of the Hope and Prosperity Resource Center, but add housing units and bathing facilities.

The project, meant to help Aroostook County’s growing population of people who are homeless, was recently made possible by a land use change. Presque Isle City Council approved the planning board recommendation to change 1 Edgemont Drive from an industrial zone to a residential office zone, making it possible for ACAP to place transitional housing on that street.

Jason Parent of ACAP said that working with the city of Presque Isle and supporting these changes has been instrumental to getting closer to their goal. 

“Rather than do what others do by going through the process of petitioning to have the property rezoned, we decided to work collaboratively with the city as we have on other projects,” Parent said. “It’s been a great collaborative experience and one that continues as we shepherd this process forward.”

ACAP has been adamant about keeping the services of the Hope and Prosperity Resource Center on site of the property. The space brings same day access to ACAP’s services and those of their partners, including recovery coaching, workforce development, housing opportunities and preventative health services. 

The upstairs of the facility will be remodeled, transforming all of the office spaces into single-resident apartment units. There are also plans to create shelter units in the bottom floor of the building to fill an immediate need if there is an overflow of people from the homeless shelter. 

“It’s really to help fill a need in the community around supportive affordable housing,” said ACAP Director of Programming Heidi Rackliff. “This is to help people become more sustainable and to reach a level where they are able to take care of themselves and not have to worry about where they will lay their head that night.”

This project originated in 2016, when ACAP wanted to expand into the housing market. The non-profit was looking at different locations in Caribou and Presque Isle, but at the time, ACAP was not ready to go through with the project. 

In 2019, ACAP opened its Hope and Prosperity Resource Center at 771 Main St., and saw more people who were experiencing homelessness seeking help with employment and housing during the day. 

ACAP has been applying for funding from Maine Housing Authority to pay for a significant portion of the project. The project has been awarded approximately $2.4 million, which will pay to construct 11 rental apartments on the upper floor of the building. 

ACAP is in the process of applying for more funding to build the short-term living units on the lower floor, and to reconstruct the Hope and Prosperity Resource Center.

These housing units will help people who may have felony charges, be on the sex offender registry or have other issues find reliable housing.

ACAP chose to build in Presque Isle because of all of the surrounding resources in the area, such as numerous educational and job opportunities that are relatively close together, which limits transportation challenges.

ACAP is optimistic about starting construction on the project next winter, provided it can hire contractors and obtain the necessary materials. able to hire contractors and obtain the necessary materials. Construction on the project is estimated to take nine months.