Portland, Maine, is developing a housing complex specifically for LGBTQ-identifying individuals.
The Equality Community Center is expected to open in the spring of 2026 for LGBTQ people over the age of 55. It will hold 54 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units.
Funding for the building, which is expected to cost upwards of $15 million, will come from MaineHousing tax credits, federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, an award from the district, and loans.
The move has raised concerns of discrimination.
Conservative X account Libs of TikTok wrote, “According to the Fair Housing Act, housing discrimination based on s*xuaI orientation or gender identity is illegal,” adding, “How is this legal?”
Similar housing endeavors are underway in San Diego, California, Boston, Massachusetts, and several other large cities.
San Diego’s North Park Senior Apartments is the city’s first “LGBTQ-affirming affordable senior complex – at its completion, one of a handful across the country,” according to The Center.
Two years ago, the city of Boston announced the development of an “LGBTQ-friendly affordable senior housing community.”
Mayor Michelle Wu said at the time that the development would be “an incredible asset to the neighborhood, offering not just housing, but gardens, walking trails, an art studio with gallery space, and other community benefits to truly make our LGBTQ+ seniors feel at home.”
Then-Lt. Governor Karyn Polito said the housing community was the “first of its kind in Massachusetts to provide tailored housing” for LGBTQ individuals.
