Sen. Duson celebrates grand opening of 45 Dougherty Court, Portland’s newest affordable housing development

PORTLAND — On August 20, 2025, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Jill C. Duson, D-Portland, joined local leaders, including Portland Mayor Mark Dion and Nathan Szanton, President of Szanton Company, in Portland’s Libbytown neighborhood for the grand opening of 45 Dougherty Court, a new 63-unit affordable housing development that leverages funding from the Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund.

“It was my honor to join local leaders and neighbors to celebrate the completion and opening of this development and what it means for our city’s newest residents,” said Sen. Duson. “Projects like 45 Dougherty Court allow me to take the story of what we’re doing here in Portland to the state level, and create opportunities to build affordable and safe housing for working families and people statewide.”

45 Dougherty Court is a 63-unit affordable housing development led by Szanton Company, a Portland based affordable housing developer. Funding for this project came in part from the City of Portland’s Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund, dedicated upon the retirement of then-Councilor Duson, for her longtime leadership on affordable housing issues in Portland.

The Jill C. Duson Housing Trust Fund supports the construction of affordable housing developments in Portland that provide workforce housing opportunities and bolster the area’s total housing supply — priorities that Sen. Duson has continued to champion statewide upon her election to the Maine Senate in 2022.