The buildings are located at the former Naval Air Station in Brunswick, part of a project to create 60 new units for homeless asylum seeker families and individuals.
A company known as Developers Collaborative led the project. Founder Kevin Bunker said the state has set aside funding - roughly $2 million - to cover rent for up to two years. But he said that money could last longer as residents become eligible for work authorization and land jobs.
"If they ended up with an income, they'd be expected to contribute 30% of their income toward their rent," Bunker said. "And then, much like a project-based voucher, this fund would make up the rest."
Bunker said residents were selected by lottery after hundreds of applications were received within hours of opening the waitlist.
The Lewiston-based Immigrant Resource Center of Maine has been contracted to provide support services to the residents.
Fatuma Hussein, the group's executive director, said that support involves everything from helping furnish the apartments to creating long-term stability plans to help each family get established based on their own goals.
"What is it that you want to do? Some families will say 'We want to learn English, I want to get a better paying job, I want security in my job like health insurance, you know, retirement plan and all of that, I want to drive, I want to have my kid go to college'", she said.
Hussein said the goal is to help integrate families into the community and keep them from sliding back into homelessness.
