A bill aimed at reforming zoning laws and cutting red tape to allow for development of affordable housing units passed its final vote in the Maine House on Monday, putting the measure on the path to becoming law if ultimately funded by the legislature.
The bill, LD 2003, is an effort to begin to address Maine’s affordable housing crisis by reducing barriers to the construction of units. Among other things, the bill makes it easier for property owners to build accessory dwelling units on lots zoned for single-family use.
The numbers behind Maine’s housing crisis are stark. The state is experiencing a shortage of about 20,000 affordable options and around 25,000 Maine households are on a waitlist for federal Section 8 housing vouchers. In addition, nearly 60% of renters in the state spend half their income on housing.
Low-income Mainers are bearing the brunt of the crisis. A study from 2021 found that the average wage needed in the state to afford a two-bedroom rental home was $21.39 an hour, far above Maine’s $12.75 an hour minimum wage.
“The lack of affordable housing in Maine has reached a crisis level and we all understand there is a need to act,” said House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford), the sponsor of the bill, adding that, “This legislation could create more housing opportunities in every community in Maine.”
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