AUGUSTA — Beginning in January, MaineHousing’s Housing Choice Voucher Department will assume administration of the Stability Through Engagement Program or STEP vouchers.
STEP is designed to provide short term rental assistance to rapidly re-house individuals and families who meet the federal definition of homelessness. The Housing Choice Voucher Department currently administers rental assistance for nearly 4,000 HCV program participants and conducts apartment inspections prior to lease for STEP tenants, so adding voucher administration is a logical next step.
Homeless shelters and program participants should experience no disruption in the program.
Participating homeless shelter staff will continue to refer eligible clients to the STEP Program based on the likelihood that the participant, with the help of STEP, can achieve housing stability within 12 months.
HCV program staff will contact shelters to set up a program relationship.
STEP currently is offered in Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Oxford, Penobscot, Washington, and York counties.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less