Maine
How Maine groups are working with landlords to quickly get residents housed
One promising approach to addressing homelessness in Maine, advocates say, is “rapid rehousing,” which uses several strategies, including housing navigators and financial incentives to landlords, to get people into apartments quickly.
As part of our occasional series exploring solutions to homelessness, Maine Public’s Robbie Feinberg spoke with Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter CEO Katie Spencer-White about how her team has managed to get about 30 households into new housing since last March using the approach.
White said it can be nearly impossible for a resident of Waterville to find an apartment on their own.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
Spencer-White: Today post-pandemic, our vacancy rate here locally in Waterville, where we operate, we’ve gone from probably 5% or 6%, pre-pandemic, which is a healthy vacancy rate, to sub-5%. We’re probably in the region of 2%, at this point. Which means we need to actively engage with landlords. They need to want to partner with us in order for us to find the units. We’re not going to just find them by going onto Craigslist, or seeing what listing has come out on a Facebook page, right? We really have to partner intensively with landlords and make sure that the new tenants that we’re offering to them make good business sense.
Feinberg: What tools do you have, what can you say to a landlord or what can you offer to a landlord to say, ‘Hey, rent to this person’?
We can make it make good business sense, right? So all of our tenants are going to — each of those units is going to require a Maine State Housing inspection to make sure the unit is in good condition. Sometimes that takes a little while, up to three weeks. So we find a unit, we don’t want the landlord to go without receiving any kind of payment for that unit. Oftentimes, they need that revenue coming in for themselves, because they’re running businesses. So we can put some money down to hold that unit. We can also help with minor repairs. So if it’s just a matter of a little bit of remediation, we need to put in a handrail or something like that to get it passed inspection, we can also support those efforts. So that landlords aren’t having to pay out of pocket to rent to somebody who’s going to have to go through a MaineHousing inspection, for example.
But there’s also the concerns around the relationship. And I think that’s probably one of the biggest fears, and the most important work that we do, is helping navigate that landlord-tenant relationship. We’re in it for the long haul. We might be funded to work with a tenant for six months. But if two years into that tenancy, the landlord calls up and says, ‘Hey, you know, there’s a little bit of miscommunication going on, I’m not able to talk to the tenant, I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t want to have to evict them,’ they can call us and we can step in and see if we can smooth out that relationship, find out what’s going wrong and help get it on an even keel again.
Are there examples you can think of, of how that that has worked? Where you all have been able to step in? And maybe that has kept someone housed?
I mean, we have tons of examples. Something as basic as, I remember one household was a mom, and she had two teenage sons. And the two teenage sons were going out and playing basketball late at night. And that was causing a nuisance, right? But once we were able to step in and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to need to correct this particular behavior, put some boundaries around it — it’s totally fine to play basketball, we want kids outside being healthy, but it needs to be within these parameters.’ The mom didn’t realize that it was causing an issue, once we got it figured out.
And that tenancy was moving towards an eviction, right, because it was just becoming an ongoing issue. But once we were able to communicate it and say, ‘Let’s put some boundaries on that, keep it healthy for everybody,’ it smooths everything over. And that relationship that was almost fundamentally broken, was rehabilitated, and that tenant is still housed, in an apartment, and within a community that they really like.
So when you think about what you would want to do moving forward, how much of that involves expanding a program like this, versus other solutions?
If I was queen for a day, and could direct the Legislature to fund anything, it would be to fund vouchers. We know that affordability and lack of income is really the the key barrier to a lot of folks staying in housing. Seventy percent of evictions are for nonpayment of rent. And if we can fix that program, we’ve solved that problem. We’ve solved 70% of the issues.
But I don’t think we’re going to fund vouchers universally. Certainly not the state level, not the federal level, not yet. So that being said, this is the world that we live in. We need to have these kinds of programs, so that when people find themselves in a crisis because somebody’s moved out of the household, they’ve lost income because of an illness, because they’re going on to a fixed income, we need to have programs in place that can meet them where they are and quickly get them where they need to be which is in permanent, affordable housing.
Maine
This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak
Are you up for a Maine food challenge, or are your eyes bigger than your stomach?
A Waterville staple, Buen Apetito has a monster burrito just waiting for someone to eat it down to the very last bite.
This thing is a beast, literally called La Bestia, and it’s definitely a mighty task for a fearless foodie.
Take on the Buen Apetito La Bestia Food Challenge in Waterville, Maine
According to Buen Apetito, if you can finish a super-sized burrito in 30 minutes or less, you’ll get the $60 meal for free, a La Bestia champion shirt, and a picture on the wall of fame. That’s not to mention the bragging rights of dominating a task few will be able to conquer.
Wondering what’s in the burrito?
The Mexican restaurant shared in a Facebook comment on a post that the burrito is filled with “grilled chicken, chorizo, and tender shredded beef or pork. Built on a layer of seasoned rice, refried beans, and French fries, it’s melted together with a shredded Mexican cheese blend and a drizzle of creamy cheese sauce, sautéed peppers and onions, green salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, creamy guacamole, and a bed of shredded lettuce all wrapped in three extra-large tortillas fused into one epic wrap.”
Let’s just say that this thing is packed full.
The first La Bestia contender took up his fork and knife in December 2025, but despite coming close, he couldn’t come out with the win.
As of March 2026, the challenge has remained undefeated. But you never know, someone is bound to come out victorious.
Just note that you can only try your hand at this food challenge on Wednesday and Thursday.
Buen Apetito Has Been a Longstanding Waterville, Maine, Restaurant
First opened in 1999, Buen Apeitito has been around for nearly 30 years.
Centralmaine.com reported that the Mexican restaurant was originally located at the Railroad Square complex off Chaplin Street before moving to 99 West River Road in 2023.
A little over a year later, in 2024, Buen Apetito shared on Facebook that it was passing on the torch to new owners, including Dalia, “the heart and soul of [the] kitchen for twenty years,” her daughter, Norma, and Norma’s husband, Shawn.
READ MORE: Famous Maine Restaurant Buen Apetito Adds Powerhouse New Owner to Crew
And it seems like not only are things still going strong, but new additions like La Bestia food challenge are only enhancing the spirit of big flavor and delicious Mexican food at the Waterville staple.
So, you think you’re up for the task of taking down a beast of a burrito at Buen Apetito? Good luck.
You Know You’re From Maine If You’ve Tried All 19 of These Foods
Here’s a number of foods associated with Maine. How many of them have you had?
Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna
The New York Time’s Best Restaurant Lists Feature These 7 Maine Spots
Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna
Maine
How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities
BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Monday’s telethon held by WABI in partnership with Penquis and Heart of Maine United Way Monday raised money for the heating of homes, something so basic, yet so significant in a state like Maine.
Danielle Hewes, Penquis contributor and volunteer, says some people might not even know that they qualify for heating assistance.
“I think there’s this misconception that you can’t get that if you’re working. Like that’s just for people on general assistance. The truth of the matter is this is for the people that are maybe not able to work, but also for the people that are working. They’re making ends meet,” she said.
For Danielle, that’s what makes events like the telethon so special: it’s making a real difference in the community with people who need the help the most.
Speaking about Penquis in particular, she said, “You learn about all of the other things they do and how they help the community and you can’t help but want to be a part of that.”
If you weren’t able to donate Monday, donations are still being accepted.
You can go to homeunitedway.org/heat.
You can also call 941-2800.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
Maine
Arizona Sen. Gallego endorses Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine Democrat Graham Platner has picked up another high-profile endorsement in his bid to flip a key Senate seat blue, marking another sign of the oyster farmer and combat veteran’s political resiliency even as he continues to face controversy throughout his campaign.
Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announced Monday that he was backing Platner, saying that the first-time candidate “reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine.”
“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests, and wakes up every day thinking about working families,” said Gallego, who won a Senate seat in Arizona in 2024 by more than 2 points while Trump carried the state by nearly 6 points.
Platner has previously been endorsed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, a Democrat.
However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has endorsed Platner’s main opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Both Platner, 41, and Mills, 78, are hoping to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, 73, a five-term incumbent who announced last month that she was running for another term. A victory in Maine is crucial for Democrats’ efforts to take back control of the Senate. The Democratic Party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.
READ MORE: Maine’s Graham Platner thinks voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate
Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He’s pressed forward despite controversies over old social media posts and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he recently had covered up.
Gallego is among the Democrats named as possible 2028 presidential contenders. Last fall, he stumped in New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where he campaigned for Democrats who went on to win their elections.
“I have an immense amount of respect for him and I’m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the U.S. Senate,” Platner said in a statement.
Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
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