The Housing Opportunity Program (HOP) provides technical assistance, including land use ordinance development, to municipalities to support housing development. HOP also provides grant funding to municipalities and service providers to assist with community housing planning and implementation projects.
LD 2173 was signed into law in April 2026 by Governor Mills. This legislation amends portions of LD 1829, a law which requires municipalities to amend land use ordinances to increase housing density and reduce minimum lot sizes in certain areas. The Housing Opportunity Program will be updating its guidance materials and rule to support municipalities with implementation over the summer of 2026. Need more information? Contact housing.moca@maine.gov.
New Statewide Housing Data
- The 2025 statewide housing data is now available on the State of Maine Housing Data Portal. This data, collected from municipalities, the Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC), and the U.S. Census Building Permit Survey as part of LD 1184, provides building permit, demolition permit and certificate of occupancy data to track progress towards the state's annual housing production goals.
- Download the 2025 Statewide Housing Data Collection Results Summary (PDF) written by Greater Portland Council of Governments to learn more about the data collection process and data results.
| Name | Role | Contact Information | What We Can Help You With |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Averill | Housing Opportunity Program Coordinator | Housing.MOCA@maine.gov | Contact for grant funding opportunities, questions about recent housing legislation, technical assistance documents, and housing data |
| Hilary Gove | Housing Opportunity Program Coordinator | Housing.MOCA@maine.gov | Contact for grant funding opportunities, questions about recent housing legislation, technical assistance documents, and housing data |
How does HOP support communities in Maine?
- Manages the State of Maine Housing Data Portal which provides a central repository for housing data and supports communities with ordinance development (and a zoom webinar about using the data portal; password: $Of#3h3t)
- Provides financial and technical assistance resources to municipal planning leaders, including reports from the Commission to Increase Housing Opportunities in Maine (December 2021 report, November 2022 report), 2023 State of Maine Housing Study, Statewide and Regional Housing Production Goals, Maine Housing Rent & Income Charts, and A Roadmap for the Future of Housing Production in Maine
Not what you’re looking for? Email info.moca@maine.gov or call the MOCA phone line and we’ll connect you with what you need.