History

Headlines read:

Improvements Ahead For Sagamore Village

(January 15th, 1962) The pictures show old kerosene heaters, windows, wood stoves, and coal furnaces in need of updating. there are also photos of a kitchen, an exterior shot of a building, and a picture of old wooden clotheslines. 

Sagamore amenities appealing

(no date) The article highlights the amenities of Sagamore Village housing, such as driveways, yards, a large commons, and a daycare. A resident is quoted on the benefits and drawbacks of subsidized housing. 

Sagamore Garden Contest Winners Named

(August 22nd, 1962) Two photos of gardens surrounded by white picket fencing. The article describes a garden contest hosted by the Longfellow Garden Club in Sagamore Village. 

Portland Votes For PHA To Run Village: Sagamore 'Gamble' Anticipates Okay Of Redevelopment

(no date, early 1950's implied) the article describes the vote of the city council to sign a cooperation agreement with PHA about the use of Sagamore Village; the first step in making it a public housing community after WWII. The plan was aligned with city-wide program of "slum clearance and redevelopment" but subsidized housing faced a lot of push back from the city council and voters. 

Headlines Read:

City Housing Has Come A Long Way, But...

(no date, 1970 implied) A large central photo of youth sitting on a curb with the back drop of Bayside Terrace apartments. The article is cut off but describes the rapid development efforts of the Portland housing Authority. It refers to Bayside East and Riverton Park projects as "on the drawing board" along with plans for Washington Gardens and a "push for 50 more units" which was likely the Front Street development. 

A recent photo of youth in Sagamore Village posing on the basketball court with bags of trash they picked up for Earth Day. A chalk drawing of the earth fills the foreground. 

PHA To Discuss Bayside Price Problem, In N.Y.C.

(March 2nd, 1963) The article describes PHA leadership travelling to New York to meet with HUD officials about the per-unit cost restrictions for development. PHA plans were for 50 units in Bayside (what would become Kennedy Park) especially designed for larger families displaced by Portland's urban renewal programs. The larger units cost more per unit to build than HUD would allow but were necessary to meet the need in the city.  

Opening Delayed

(no date, 1964 implied) A photo of a man standing at the edge of a large hole dug into the ground in East Bayside. The article notes the delay in opening the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Park public housing project. 

Original Plans Too Optimistic... More Money Needed For Bayside Renewal

(no date, mid to late 1960's implied) the article describes the efforts for urban renewal in the Bayside neighborhood requiring more buildings to be demolished than expected. Private owners in the Bayside neighborhood were required to rehabilitate their buildings or sell the land to the City. This project was run by the Portland Renewal Authority, not PHA though development of Bayside East was part of the project. 

A recent photo of Bayside Terrace apartments

Headlines Read:

A large black and white aerial photo pf Franklin Towers from the North

Rental Rates At Franklin Towers Set Tentatively At $45-$67 Monthly

(February 14th, 1969) The article describes the rental calculations based on income rates. The highest income allowed at the time was $3,700 annually. It continues on to describe bids, sales, and actions of the PHA Board of Commissioners. 

Franklin Towers Will Open Sept. 2

(1969) The article describes the plan for tenants to start moving in to Franklin Towers and planned opening events. Construction was planned to finish in March of 1969 but was delayed. 

A Long Way To Go

(1968 implied) A photo of the base of Franklin Towers under construction with scaffolding surrounding the concrete walls.  The caption describes that the construction has not yet reached the half-way point on the plan to make Maine's tallest apartment building at 16 stories. at the time, nearly 400 people had applied to live in the new income based building. 

Receiving The Keys To Franklin Towers

A photo of one of the first Franklin Towers residents receiving her keys from the Executive Director of PHA and the Director of Management. The caption describes the scene and notes that the building is also the new home of the PHA management offices.

Franklin Towers Open House, 200 Units In Maine's Tallest Apartment Building

The article shares some figures about the new building as well as other plans for affordable housing:

• $3.62 Million Structure
  • The cost, size and rents of the building are described.
• 650 Applications
  • The plans to move in residents by October 1st 1969 are described. 
• New Furnishings Noted
  • Some apartments were furnished. some tenants waited up to two years to move in. 
• 270 Other Units
  • At the time, PHA managed 270 other public housing units. The "turnkey public housing concept was used for much of the Public Housing Development at that time. 
• 1,200 Units Projected
  • The article is cut off but describes plans for future developments in Portland to total 1,200 public housing units. Development plans for public housing in neighboring Southern Maine Cities are also noted.

A photo of the view from the top of Franklin Towers looking towards the East End of Portland. 

Headlines read:

Housing Readied For 150 Families In Project Here

(no date, early 1970's implied) The article describes the (then) new Riverton Park development being ready for occupancy. It describes the layout of the neighborhood and interior layout of apartments. At the time, they estimated 700 children living in Riverton Park. As of 2021, there are about 300 youth in the community.

A current photo of Harbor Terrace from the street framed in green trees with an American flag out front.

Oil Dealers Missed Boat With PHA, Official Says

(no date) The article talks about heating oil distributers being scolded by the National Oil Fuel Institute for not working with Portland Housing and missing an opportunity for business. 

A recent photo of children planting vegetables in a raised community garden bed

An old photo of two girls singing titled "Christian Seal Carolers" 

Bayside's Public Housing

(May 16th, 1962) A rendering of proposed affordable housing development in East Bayside. The article describes the proposal for what is now Kennedy Park apartments.

Headlines Read:

Public Housing Hit By Funding Crisis

(no date) The article describes the drastic underfunding of PHA by HUD following national policy changes that made it impossible for PHA to generate enough income to sustain itself. Then Director Dexter describes the funding crisis and how it will impact services, maintenance, staff, and the future of public housing in Portland. It is also noted that HUD was not consistent in funding allocations leaving Portland at a severe disadvantage. 

A recent photo of children playing on a playground in Sagamore Village.

Council Rejects Public Housing For Displaced By Single Vote

No text to accompany the headline. 

Local Housing Authority Vows Stern Action Against Vandalism

(No date) The article describes waves of vandalism throughout Kennedy park and the repercussions the vandals would be facing. There is a call for recreational programming for youth and discussion of expanding Social Work staffing for the community. 

PHA Seeks Referendum Authority For 300 Units

(No date) the article describes the hopes for public housing development in "blighted" areas of the city from High Street out to the East Bayside area. Some of the areas described are where Kennedy Park and Bayside East apartments are now. 

Poll Favors Public Housing, Opposes Fluoridation

(November 26th, 1963) The results of a poll on city issues are described in favor of public housing with a detailed explanation of polling process and answers. 

An older photo without caption showing an official "ground breaking" where a man is shoveling dirt and looking at the camera. 

A recent photo of the entry sign on the Bayside Anchor mixed income development. Signage for the East Bayside Community Policing office is also shown.