It’s been about a year since the Legislature and Gov. Janet Mills passed landmark legislation to spur the development of affordable housing. Since then, the conditions that made the law necessary have only worsened.
In what world does it make sense to hobble the law before it takes effect?
Several bills before the Legislature would do just that, taking away an important mechanism for the creation of housing before it even gets a chance to work.
Lawmakers should reject them all, and instead make sure the law is ready to do what it’s meant to do when it goes into effect July 1.
The bill passed last year represents the state’s first major initiative in fighting the housing crisis, which has made homeownership a far-off dream for many Mainers, and left about half of all tenants overly burdened by high rents.
It also upended the longstanding Maine tradition of home rule, which gave municipalities nearly complete control over their own zoning rules, and thus power over what gets built – and what doesn’t. That usually means a preference for single-family homes on large lots, and lots of barriers for apartment buildings and other more dense forms of housing.
Advertisement
Under the housing law passed last year, cities and towns are required to allow people to add accessory dwelling units, such as in-law apartments, where single-family housing is allowed. It also creates an automatic bonus for developers who build dense affordable housing.
It’s not a cure-all for the widespread...
You don't have permission to access "http://www.fox61.com/article/news/national/connecticut-medicaid-program-to-get-936k-from-abbott-laboratories-settlement/520-c1943418-e32f-49cb-b1ad-1ce24170279...