WASHINGTON – Maine will receive $24.8 million in federal funding to support affordable housing, homeless assistance, and initiatives aimed at low- and moderate-income residents, according to U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. This grant is more than a million dollars more than last year’s funding.

Funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development includes $16,850,000 in funding under HUD’s Community Development Block Grant program; $7,265,000 under the HOME Investment Partnership program; and $698,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant funding.

Most funding will be distributed on a competitive basis, including housing construction and rehabilitation; job-creation programs; public services funding; infrastructure improvement; aid for emergency shelters; and homeless prevention activities.