AUGUSTA - The Maine Senate voted to pass a bill from House Speaker Ryan Fecteau of Biddeford Thursday. The bill paves the way for more affordable housing in Maine. LD 609, Resolve, To Establish a Commission To Increase Housing Opportunities in Maine by Studying Zoning and Land Use Restrictions will establish a commission to review barriers to producing more affordable housing in Maine.
"Maine is facing an affordable housing crisis," said Speaker Fecteau. "Today the Maine Legislature recognized the urgency of this matter. This bill is about cutting the red tape standing in the way of building and revitalizing more affordable housing here in Maine. In too many municipalities, a web of various zoning and land use ordinances and state laws are preventing sensible affordable housing projects - big and small from coming to fruition."
In Maine, there is no county where a full-time worker earning the minimum wage can afford a typical two-bedroom apartment. This is a statewide problem. According to the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, 1 in 5 renters pay more than half their income toward housing costs.
Advocates for older Mainers, economic justice, the construction industry, realtors, and community planning experts supported the bill during public testimony earlier in the session, with no groups or individuals testifying in opposition.
"I want to give an example of how zoning can be challenging. In Gorham, there is a mixed-use-space that has 150 people working in restaurants, businesses like insurance providers, and even a wine bar. There are also 33 residential units with access to a grocery store next door and to public transportation. They are heated and cooled with efficient heat pumps," said Matthew Marks of Associated General Contractors of Maine. "These mixed-use projects where zoning has to be changed can be complicated, not just for the developer and the contractor, but for the towns working within their own zoning guidelines. We believe this committee will provide a good deal of resources for towns, hopefully some templates."
"The problem in Maine is that it's simply too hard to site new housing projects in much of Maine. Zoning ordinances, most of which were developed at an earlier time, often create unintentional barriers to the kinds of housing that most communities now say they want more of: affordable multifamily and workforce housing," said Erik Jorgensen of MaineHousing.
"Taking into account the pandemic's impact on available housing stock, the study is very timely," said Kate Dufour, Director of Maine Municipal Association. "Housing issues are no longer simply a 'big city' issue. Municipal officials in urban, suburban and rural areas alike have witnessed significant increases in both the number and value of home sales, which in turn have or will place additional property tax burdens on lifelong homeowners and impact the availability of affordable and workforce housing in our communities."
"We have explored many other housing options for older Mainers, from home sharing, to small or tiny homes, to accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and think they all have their place as potential solutions," said Jess Maurer, Executive Director of Maine Council on Aging. "All three of these potential solutions can bump up against local and state zoning and use laws and ordinances. This is why we support this bill that proposes to convene a short term commission to examine current demand, the interrelation of state law and local regulation of housing, and find ways to encourage the development of new housing options in Maine."
"Today's vote shows affordable housing is a major concern in this state and we know we can do better. This issue is urgent for our economy and workforce, not to mention the dignity of older Mainers and young families with children. This commission will not establish mandates for towns concerning zoning and land use. Instead, the commission will be asked to establish model policies with incentives for towns to adopt them on their own," said Speaker Fecteau.
The Legislature's Labor and Housing Committee had unanimously voted "ought to pass", supporting this bill in their work session. Now that the bill has been passed by the full Senate and House, it will be sent to the Governor to be signed into law.
Jenna Howard (Fecteau), 214-3185,