February 27: Right to housing among a flood of proposed state constitutional amendments
Rep. Benjamin Collings of Portland has proposed an amendment to the Maine Constitution to guarantee citizens' a housing right. However, the broad language of the proposed amendment has left many with questions. RHA President, Brit Vitalius, was quoted in the Portland Press Herald article stating, "I don't know what Rep. Collings means by a 'right to housing,'" Vitalius said. "To government housing? To private housing? The word seems to have real legal implications. Would the state be legally obligated to provide housing to everyone in the state and liable if the housing is not available?"
Read the full article here.
February 28: Industry Experts See Portland Rent Control Backfiring Amid Maine Housing Crisis
RHA President, Brit Vitalius, was quoted by the Maine Wire in a recent story about Portland’s rent control ordinance and its unintended consequences. Vitalius notes, “People who need the help aren’t getting it.”
Read the full article here.
February 28: Portland Planning Board approves 162 units of affordable housing in North Deering
A newly approved affordable housing project is expected to add 162 units to North Deering in Portland. Maine Cooperative Development Partners are spearheading the Lambert Woods project at 165 Lambert Street. On Tuesday, they received major site plan approval.
Read the full article here.
March 1: Proposal to eliminate a Portland rent cap qualifies for June ballot
The RHA's amendment to improve rent control has qualified for the June ballot!
"City Clerk Ashley Rand announced Wednesday that the Rental Housing Alliance of Southern Maine handed in 4,013 signatures in support of its referendum, 3,087 of which were verified – more than twice the 1,500 signatures required to get citizen-initiated referendums on the ballot."
Read the full article here.
March 2: City of Bangor passes tenants' rights ordinance, but some landlords wonder what's next
On Monday, The City of Bangor passed a tenants' rights ordinance requiring landlords to give residents 60 days' notice before increasing rent, removal of application fees, and a $75 cap on tenant screening fees. The ordinance will go into effect on March 9th.
Read the full article here.
March 2: Newsradio WGAN: Interview with Brit Vitalius
Newsradio WGAN chats with RHA President, Brit Vitalius, about the Committee to Improve Rent Control and the successful effort to get “An Act to Improve Tenant Protections” on the June ballot.
“This is one very narrow change that is going to benefit tenants as much as it’s going to benefit landlords and housing in the Portland community. This is not a wishlist for landlords in Portland and it preserves every single tenant protection that’s in the current rent control now.”
Listen to the full interview here.
