LEWISTON, Maine — With Maine dealing with a deficit in housing, state lawmakers are expected to review a handful of bills to increase affordability and housing stock in the state.
Last year, Governor Janet Mills signed into law a slew of bills regarding housing, from changes to zoning and land restrictions, to an extension for rehabilitation tax credits.
Bills on the table this year that were pushed through by the legislative council include Senator Peggy Rotundo's LR 2772 "An Act to Accelerate the Production of Housing and Strengthen the Maine Historic Property Rehabilitation Tax Credit," as well as Representative Cheryl Golek's LR 2938 "An Act to Improve the Housing Voucher System."
Senator and member on the joint standing Committee on Housing Matthew Pouliot says he expects multiple bills on hold from last year to resurface.
"We're seeing a lot of pressure from folks who are moving here which is driving prices up," Pouliot said. "So we too in the Legislature are looking for ways to help with some down payment assistance."
Issues include changes to zoning, as well as proposals to decrease the rising price of construction.
"So we're going to be looking at ways in which we can streamline the process, and provide additional financial incentives to kind of come off the side lines to create these units," Pouliot added.
With this large of an issue, lawmakers and others also expect not a lot of push back this year from either side of the aisle after last year's success pushing bills through.
"We have a long ways to go but we want to be helpful to Governor Mills and the Legislature as they sort of craft policy in order to increase the supply," Scott Thistle said, who acts as the director of communications for MaineHousing. "This Legislature, both sides of the aisle Republicans and Democrats have both supported affordable housing initiatives that are now reaching all parts of Maine."
Also working to help increase home ownership in the Lewiston area is former landlord Amy Smith, who also founded the nonprofit Healthy Homeworks. She hopes law makers come from all sides and angles when trying to move the needle.
"I personally feel like there's been too much of a focus on creating rental units, as opposed to getting creative about ways to create more affordable housing opportunities," Smith added.
By renovating existing complexes, she has found a way to not only increase education around buying property but also accessibility for affordable first-time buyers.
"It's the way that people can put their roots down, and they can invest over time in their own home, build equity," Smith said. "Right now, only four percent of these properties in downtown Lewiston are owned by the people who live in them."