March 14: Portland Planning Board gets first look at proposed Bayside project with 800 housing units
On Tuesday night, the Portland planning board discussed Port Property’s and West Bayside Partners LLC proposed redevelopment proposal for Portland's Bayside neighborhood. The proposed master development plan calls for the construction of 804 new units, with 603 units at market rate and 201 affordable units.
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March 14: Maine lawmaker sees malls as a solution to the housing shortage
Rep. Richard Campbell of Orrington has introduced a bill to convert vacant shopping malls into housing. Campbell's bill is a concept draft with no language attached to it and only carries a goal the new housing committee will complete the bill's crafting.
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March 14: Augusta launches debate over how best to improve conditions in the city's housing stock
Augusta city council has proposed a rental ordinance requiring landlords to pay a registration fee of $100 per rental unit annually. This fee would be utilized to cover the city's need to hire additional code enforcement officials and inspect housing units more frequently. In addition, a discussion is underway of creating a separate task force to address safety and improve housing stock.
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March 14: Cape Elizabeth debates affordable housing
Cape Elizabeth is looking to implement a new state law (LD 2003) that offers the ability to build multi-unit housing in residential zones. The tow ordinance committee proposed a 200-unit housing project which would then allow for larger apartment complexes to be built after. Cape Elizabeth town council is currently seeking a scaled-back version.
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March 15: New affordable housing complex for older Mainers opens in Old Orchard Beach
A newly developed 55-unit affordable housing complex began moving residents in on Wednesday. The Szanton Company built the complex with partial funding from MaineHousing loans.
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March 15: Why rent control won’t solve the issue of high rents in the US
CNBC recaps how rent control policies affect housing affordability, and why economists argue that rent control deters developers, which in turn “worsens the housing supply crisis in the United States.”
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