A few days ago in Augusta, a community member almost froze to death while they slept outside in single-degree weather. Perhaps lawmakers don’t know it, but on their way to the State House in the mornings, they are passing right by woods where more fellow Mainers have been camping. Then, elected leaders enter the marble hallways of the Capitol to consider funding — or cutting — programs that prevent evictions and build affordable homes.

None of us can have a productive, healthy life without a decent and affordable place to live. Housing comes first in our lives — and it should be a first priority in the state budget. Yet this year the governor has proposed cutting the housing program of last resort, General Assistance, making those facing eviction and homelessness eligible for only three months of relief a year.

She didn’t continue funding for the successful Eviction Prevention Program (EPP) created by the Legislature in 2024. In fact, the governor’s budget would even divert $10M from the HOME fund, which supports programs including affordable housing development, homelessness assistance, home repair and lead abatement.

Legislators must stand up for these programs and ensure they are adequately funded. Doing so would support thousands more families crushed by housing costs and better protect our cities and towns from housing and financial crises.

The EPP, an $18 million pilot, is expected to help at least 1,000 households pay their rent and avoid the trauma and displacement of an eviction. As soon as the program opened in October, applications rushed in from 1,800 renter households swamped with rising housing costs. Money continues to flow to help renters catch up and stay afloat. Each renter who is helped to stay in their home alleviates costs for GA, shelters and other programs.

Our legal team has helped Mainers who qualify for relief from the EPP. It’s life-changing.

In November, Maine Equal Justice met a tenant at eviction court in Portland. He owed his landlord back rent from being out of work for several months due to a serious illness, and his wife was working limited hours because of complications with her pregnancy. He was starting a new job in a couple of weeks, but it was going to be difficult for him to catch up on his debt. Our paralegal helped him apply for rent relief, and within a month, his landlord received a check to clear his debt. This assistance is going to help him and his wife save money for the birth of their first child, due any day now.

That’s the power of housing: this man, his wife and their child will spend their first months together in security and be able to work for a brighter future. Multiply that brighter beginning by the 1,000 households the EPP will help. We wish legislators could meet more families like this.

Losing a home can mean months or years of instability, job loss, lost education and stability for children and trauma. Maine undoubtedly needs to pull out all the stops for new construction, but it will take a decade or more to meet current needs, so supporting people who have an emergency now must be a top priority.

Maine people strongly support more housing solutions like the EPP. In 2024, Maine Equal Justice surveyed Mainers with low income; housing was the top concern by far, and nearly 90% supported extending the pilot to prevent more evictions.

Some worry that taking care of our renters facing eviction is too much for Maine to take on. They say we simply need more help from the federal government for programs like Section 8 (housing vouchers). That’s clearly not going to happen this year, and it’s no excuse to allow evictions to skyrocket.

Maine can prevent evictions, and their societal costs, by asking the wealthiest 1% and corporations to pay their fair share. What is the state for, if not marshaling resources for an emergency that is affecting every community and almost every business?

We know lawmakers want to do their best to make a difference for Maine people. We hope they’ll keep in mind how much of their work and success depends on their previous night’s sleep, morning shower, dinner and breakfast at the table, and knowing their families are safe and warm. Our homes are basic to everyone’s survival and success — and should not be treated as optional or up for negotiation in the budget.