“Maine home sales and prices shoot up in January,” (Feb. 21)

Median price of Maine home sales, January 2019: $200,000

Median price of Maine home sales, January 2020: $220,900

Year-to-year increase in median home sale price: 10.45%

Wage necessary for full-time worker in Maine to afford the average one-bedroom apartment: nearly $16 an hour

Average renter’s wage in Maine, 2019: less than $12 an hour

Number of affordable housing units in Maine: 13,824

Number of Maine households on waiting list for affordable housing: nearly 33,000

Number of new units built each year: about 250

Funding for housing passed last month by legislators: $80 million in tax credits

 

“Report questions effectiveness of Maine tax incentive programs,” (Feb. 14)

Amount of property taxes forgiven by the state Business Equipment Tax Exemption program, fiscal year 2018: $58.5 million

Amount reimbursed by the state to municipalities: 61%

Loss to municipalities: $22.8 million

Portion of program administration costs returned to municipalities: 10%

Amount of property taxes reimbursed by state Business Equipment Tax Reimbursement program, same period: $29.1 million

Average BETR reimbursement of top 8% of beneficiaries: $202,604

Average BETR reimbursement of bottom 92% of beneficiaries: $5,611

Impact of programs’ on capital investment, according to Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability: “Likely marginal”

 

“Maine proposal to help homeless students graduate moves on,” (Feb. 23)

Maine’s overall high school graduation rate, 2018: 86.8%

Graduation rate for homeless students: 57.7%

Graduation rate for students in foster care: 56%

Number of homeless youth in Maine, 2017: 2,515

Increase in homeless youth, 2014-17: 30%

Number of Maine children in foster care: approximately 1,900

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