From new housing developments, rent control news, election updates, and more - the RHA wants to keep our members informed of the latest local headlines. Read up on the latest headlines & news articles from the past few weeks below and stay tuned for weekly recaps every Friday.
Last week, over 30 people gathered at Freeport’s Town Hall for a public workshop to discuss the town’s need for additional affordable housing. Speakers included representatives of the Freeport Housing Trust, the town’s Social & Racial Equity Committee and the Freeport Economic Development Corporation. During the regular council meeting, members voted to reduce the minimum parking requirements in multi-family units of Freeport’s downtown, stating that the change could provide flexibility for developers and encourage new affordable housing developments. The creation of an affordable housing committee is set to be discussed at the next meeting on October 4.
Read the full article here.
A sustainably focused housing development is moving forward at Brunswick Landing. The 49,192-square-foot Beacon Workforce Housing project will include 63-units - thirteen of which will be Workforce Housing units made available for tenants with incomes less than the median income in Brunswick ($63,458). Brunswick requires that 15% of all new housing units be affordable and this development exceeds that minimum by 5%. The building will also be fully electric and feature sustainable siding and EV-charging stations that the developers say contribute to its long-term investment.
Read the full article here.
An affordable housing roundtable was held at the Maine State Housing Authority in Augusta earlier this month, featuring speakers from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Housing Service and the Maine State Housing Authority. Speakers discussed a comprehensive approach, tackling equity, local employer programs, and finding “creative” ways to increase the housing stock.
"It’s not just MaineHousing. It’s the whole infrastructure of state government that is at work trying to address this issue of getting more people involved in the trades and getting more people interested in the types of trades that build housing." - Dan Brennan, Director of the Maine State Housing Authority.
Read the full article here.
A new commission on affordable housing met for the first time earlier this month, which included representatives from Maine's Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition. “The commission will have to strike a delicate balance between the needs of property owners who rely on short-term rentals as a source of income and Mainers who don't have stable, affordable housing, explained Judy East of Maine's Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.” The commission is scheduled to submit recommendations to the legislature this November.
Read the full article here.
