If a housing authority or similar
agency pays all of part of your rent, your
housing is "subsidized". Your rent may be subsidized
even if your house or apartment is owned by a private landlord. "Public
housing" is also subsidized.
If you need to find out where to apply for subsidized housing in your area,
contact:
Maine State Housing
Authority
89 State House Station
353 Water Street
Augusta, Maine 04330
toll free phone: 1-800-452-4668
TTY: 1-800-452-4603
If you live in "subsidized housing," you should have a standard
lease. This lease gives you more protections than most non-subsidized tenants
have. For example, your lease may have a "grievance procedure"
which gives you the right to an informal, out-of-court hearing on a complaint
you have against your landlord. Your lease probably gives you more protections
against eviction than the ones described in this online handbook. It may say that
your landlord cannot evict you unless he has "good cause" or unless
he can prove you broke the lease.
If you are in one of 3 major HUD subsidy programs
(public housing, Section 8, or voucher choice), you cannot be evicted because you were
the victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking.
You may have other rights under federal law
that are not explained in your lease.
