Maliseets’ grant aids housing upgrades Funds to fix flooded Houlton basements

HOULTON – As the old adage proclaims, April showers bring May flowers. Those rainstorms mean lots of water, and if you live in Maine, that water sometimes takes up residence in your basement.

This seasonal nuisance has brought its share of problems to the more than 80 members of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians who live in rented housing units on tribal land on Foxcroft Road.

With assistance from an Indian Community Development Block Grant on the way, Aaron Greenlaw, the executive director of the HBMI housing authority, said Monday that the deluge of problems caused by those April showers will soon dry up.

U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins recently announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded a $359,4000 grant to the Maliseets for housing assistance and community development.

Funds also were given to the Penobscot Tribe of Maine and the Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Housing Authority.

Greenlaw explained that the money would be used to “correct some issues that we are having with water in basements of our rental units on the Foxcroft Road.”

The funding will finance grading of the property, drainage work and other corrective measures.

The water issues have contributed to the formation of mold and caused condensation problems.

Greenlaw said that between 80 and 90 people live in the 18 rental units, and officials expect to begin work as early as this summer.

“This HUD funding will facilitate housing improvements and community development among some of Maine’s Native American tribes,” Snowe and Collins said in joint statement. “We are pleased to see federal support for such essential projects and worthy causes.”