Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I I I N O. I X M AY 2 , 2 0 2 2 26 R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / E N G I N E E R I N G F O C U S yet their actions say otherwise," says Rhoades. "When presented with the biggest affordable housing develop- ment in the city that tried to use a TIF designated for such affordable housing projects, the city rejected it. It doesn't make sense." e city of Portland says the project itself wasn't rejected. e Housing and Economic Development Committee took no action on the Affordable Housing TIF and the project did not move forward, the city says. Rhoades says the city needs to start authorizing the available TIFs or reverse the Green New Deal, which mandates that certain new residential construction in Portland meet afford- ability requirements. e Green New Deal, passed by voters in 2020, requires that in devel- opments of 10 or more units, 25% of those units must be affordable to people making 80% of the area median income. e previous rule required 10% of new units to be workforce units and defined workforce units as affordable for households that earn 100% of the area median income. In 2020, prior to the new inclusion- ary zoning provision, 756 residential units were put on the planning books. A year later, only 139 units had been put on the books, a decrease of 81.6%, according to a study by the Boulos Co. Kevin Kraft, deputy director of planning at urban development for the city of Portland, says it was too soon to determine the effects of the Green New Deal because some projects take years to plan. He says the city had a number of residential projects below the 10-unit threshold. e Green New Deal referendum must remain as a law on the books for five years, at which point the city can vote and change it. Or another voter referendum can be passed that over- rides the Green New Deal. "ere is no pipeline for multi-fam- ily development projects in Portland. It's unfortunate. e Green New Deal effectively moved development outside the city," says Jonathan Culley, man- aging partner with Redfern Properties in Portland. 47 Years of Building Maine B R U N S W I C K 2 0 7-7 2 5 - 4 3 0 4 I N F O @ P O U L I N C O N S T R U C T I O N M E . C O M HOTELS RESTAURANTS ASSISTED LIVING MULTI-USE OFFICE SUITES Hardworking YOUR TEAM IS HARDWORKING, YOU NEED OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT WORK JUST AS HARD. Seven clinic locations in Maine and a range of customizable services provide individual attention and team success. workhealthllc.org 1.844.WRKHLTH(1.844.975.4584) Presque Isle | Bangor | Ellsworth | Pittsfield | Waterville | Portland R E N D E R I N G / C O U R T E S Y O F C H R I S R H O A D E S O F » C O N T I N U E D F RO M PA G E 2 4 Portland's No. 1 mandate is housing and the priority is affordable housing, yet their actions say otherwise. — Chris Rhoades Presidium Group The Time and Temperature Building as it may have looked in its heyday.

• Cover