ROCKPORT — Maine Coast Heritage Trust and MidCoast Regional Housing Trust have joined forces on a unique project with dual outcomes: Conserving productive farmland and advancing the development of year-round workforce housing in Rockport.  

The project centers on the Erickson Fields Homestead, a six-acre property across from Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s Erickson Fields Preserve.

On Friday, November 21, approximately one acre of land and an existing 1850s farmhouse and old dairy barns were donated to the housing trust to support the creation of long-term, multi-family, year-round housing, according to a joint news release from the land trust and housing trust.

The remaining five acres will expand Erickson Fields Preserve, enhancing opportunities to collaborate with the elementary school, strengthen and create new agricultural programming, increase public access to conserved lands, and complement wider planning efforts in Rockport, the release said.

“This project is a powerful example of how local organizations can come together to build stronger, more resilient communities,” said Aaron Englander, associate director of stewardship at Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s Aldermere Farm and Erickson Fields Preserve, in the release. “As we advance the conservation of lands and waters in Maine, we’re committed to assisting on creative land use solutions addressing community needs. Lack of affordable housing is one of our region’s most pressing challenges.”   

Together, these two properties — the homestead and the preserve — were once part of a multi-generational dairy farm along Route 90.

In 2009, Maine Coast Heritage Trust permanently conserved the farmland south of Route 90. The land trust’s vision was to protect valuable agricultural land while offering opportunities to connect people with the land through hiking trails, community gardens, agricultural programming for youth, and produce for local food pantries, as well as test regenerative agriculture techniques. 

In 2024, Maine Coast Heritage Trust secured the six-acre homestead property and began conversations with partners to explore how it could strategically retain the land’s rich conservation values while achieving additional community goals. Recognizing the region's urgent housing crisis, partners determined that the farmhouse and immediately surrounding land would provide the most community benefit as workforce housing.  

Maine Coast Heritage Trust partnered with MidCoast Regional Housing Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to creating year-round, attainable housing for local median-income workers in Knox County. During 2024 and 2025, the two organizations worked together to align their aspirations.  

“This endeavor reflects what makes Midcoast Maine special—a deep respect for the land and a commitment to one another,” said Jonathan Goss, president of MidCoast Regional Housing Trust. “By linking land conservation and housing, we’re investing in a future where families can build lives, landscapes are protected, and communities remain strong for generations to come.”  

“The housing crisis gripping Midcoast Maine has prevented thousands of working families and young households from being able to call Rockport their home,” said Jon Duke, Rockport town manager. “This MidCoast Regional Housing Trust development will be a critical step toward meeting the growing housing gap in providing attainable housing to those who wish to live and work here. As a lifelong Rockport resident, I am grateful for Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s generosity and excited about the opportunities this collaboration will provide for our community’s present and its future.” 

The project further expands Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s vision for the farm and preserve. Providing a community resource with workforce housing builds on the land trust’s efforts to connect people with land, farming, the natural world and each other, MCHT said, in the release. 

Supporting a community need: The /missing middle'

According to the housing trust, middle-income workers and young households — teachers, first responders, tradespeople, and healthcare professionals — are increasingly being priced out of Midcoast Maine and the communities they serve. Despite stable employment, many cannot find a home near their workplaces. The growing gaps leave behind what housing experts call the “missing middle” — households earning too much to qualify for subsidized housing but not enough to afford market prices.   

• The median home price in Knox County now exceeds $450,000, putting ownership out of reach for many working families. (Source: Based on information from the Maine Real Estate Information System, Inc. (d/b/a Maine Listings) and updated June 7, 2025. ©2025 Maine Listings & Domus Analytics®) 
• One major company in Knox County found that 25 percent of its prospective hires turned down or rescinded job offers because of high housing prices and limited availability. (Source: No Place to Call Home: Workforce Housing in Midcoast Maine Report; MidCoast Regional Housing Trust/Camden Rotary, January 2022) 
• In Knox County, 1,280 new housing units are needed by the year 2030. (Source: Midcoast Council of Governments’ data on the housing crisis) 

With the property transfer now complete, MidCoast Regional Housing Trust is launching a fundraising campaign to renovate the farmhouse and prepare it for its first tenants.

In a second phase, the remainder of the approximately one-acre homestead site will be developed into multi-family housing designed to reflect the character of rural Maine communities by creating a cluster of related farm-like buildings in the architectural style of a traditional Maine farmstead.

Community members, businesses, and donors can support this work and help ensure that local workers have a place to call home by visiting www.MCRHT.org.  

About MidCoast Regional Housing Trust 

MidCoast Regional Housing Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization committed to developing and stewarding permanent year-round workforce housing in Knox County and neighboring towns. We envision vibrant communities of economically diverse residents who want to live, work, and retire in the region. Learn more at www.MCRHT.org  

About Maine Coast Heritage Trust 

MCHT advances the conservation of lands and waters in Maine to ensure ecological wellbeing and foster thriving communities. Since 1970, it has worked to guide the conservation movement and support a network of more than 80 land trusts. Together with partners mCHT protected nearly 200,000 acres, supporting the needs of people, plants, animals, and ecosystems across the coast. It is dedicated to ensuring natural areas can mitigate the effects of climate change and support all people and life for generations to come. Learn more and get involved at www.mcht.org.