Bangor Daily News reporter Sawyer Loftus has partnered with ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network since July to investigate evictions in Maine. For Loftus’ first story, which was supported by the Fund, he wrote about how a new eviction-prevention program in Maine excludes people in federal public housing despite the dire consequences they are likely to face if evicted. He focused on the account of one woman who became homeless after being evicted from public housing. She owed $955 when she got her eviction notice — an amount the new eviction prevention program could have covered if it had been in place and if she had been in a privately owned apartment. Instead, she stayed at a homeless shelter for two years, which cost the government $55,000. Loftus also analyzed court and housing data, and learned that public housing authorities were filing to evict low-income tenants at more than twice the state rate for evictions.
Grantee uncovers high rate of evictions from public housing in Maine
