LEWISTON — Lewiston Public Schools has been awarded $169,883 to participate in MaineHousing’s 2024 Student Homelessness Prevention Pilot.

The money is to help 400 to 500 students facing homelessness in the school district, a statement from MaineHousing announced Wednesday.

It will support two key activities, the district’s federal grants director, Jenny Darigan, said Thursday.

“First, we are partnering with Community Concepts to hire a homelessness prevention and housing navigation specialist, who will provide services such as diversion, housing navigation and housing stability support,” Darigan said.

“Second, the funds will be used to provide direct financial assistance to students’ families to help cover expenses that will either allow them to maintain their current housing or secure new housing,” she said. This aid is expected to be flexible and “tailored to meet each family’s specific needs.”

The money comes from a one-time source approved by Gov. Janet Mills and the state Legislature, MaineHousing said. Eleven proposals totaling nearly $5 million were submitted; five were chosen for the $2 million available.

“The housing navigator will collaborate closely with our district family and student support coordinator to identify eligible students and families in need of these services,” Darigan explained. “Lewiston Public Schools is committed to connecting families with available resources to ensure uninterrupted educational experiences for students,” she added.

Darigan said the district will work closely with MaineHousing and Community Concepts to finalize the details in the coming weeks.

In 2023, student homelessness in Lewiston hit a 10-year high. Auburn, Lisbon and Farmington-based school districts also counted the highest number of homeless students in over a decade that year, according to reporting by the Sun Journal.

Under federal law, homeless students are defined as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” This includes students who are sharing housing, doubling up or couch-surfing; living in shelters, motels or campgrounds; or sleeping in cars, in public spaces, in abandoned buildings, outside or in substandard housing. Housing is considered substandard if it lacks basic necessities such as heat or running water.