AUGUSTA - Rep. Laura Supica, D-Bangor, presented legislation Monday that would establish statewide rent stabilization and amend the laws regarding lease termination and rent increases.
Modeled after a 2019 Oregon law which was the first of its kind in the nation, LD 1574 would prohibit no-cause evictions unless the landlord gives the tenant 90 days' notice and pays the tenant the equivalent of one month's rent. The bill would also institute Maines first statewide rent stabilization policy, prohibiting landlords across the state from raising rent more than 7% above the consumer price index, a measure of inflation that the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics produces by identifying the average change over time in prices of certain goods and services.
Current law allows a landlord to terminate an agreement with a tenant who is renting on a month-to-month basis with either a 30-day notice or a seven-day notice, with or without cause.
"This bill would help prevent unnecessary evictions and ensure housing stability for more Mainers amidst an already crisis-level housing shortage," said Supica. "No-cause evictions have historically been used as tools to marginalize communities and have profound and often devastating effects on families, impacting their emotional well-being, economic stability and overall quality of life."
Research shows that people facing housing instability and homelessness are at risk for poorer health and food insecurity. Students who are homeless or have unstable housing are more likely to miss school and score lower on exams than their peers.
A study of Maine's eviction records conducted by Pine Tree Legal found that between 2019 and 2022, no-cause evictions accounted for an average of 19% of all eviction filings in Maine.
"Eviction is not just a condition of poverty, but a cause of it, as it forces families out of their communities and away from their support systems," said Frank DAlessandro, legal services director for Maine Equal Justice. "Making children change schools negatively effects mental health. No one should lose their home and risk becoming homeless if they haven't done anything wrong."
The bill provides exceptions to allow for a 30-day eviction notice under certain circumstances, including for owner-occupied buildings no larger than four units, if the landlord or an immediate family member intends to move into the unit and owns no other comparable property with a vacancy in the municipality, or if the notice is given to the tenant 30 days prior to the annual lease renewal date.
The Legislature's Judiciary Committee will hold a work session on LD 1574 in the coming weeks.
Supica is serving her second term in the Maine House and represents District 22, part of Bangor. She serves as House chair of the Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Supica], c. 305-965-2744