Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1544942
W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 J U N E 1 , 2 0 2 6 Legislators decided to hold the bill until more input could be considered. Now close to 300 modular hous- ing units already in development, and many more on the drawing board, are in limbo until the bill can be passed. In an attempt to rescue a handful of the projects, the Legislature pulled $900,000 from reserve funds to help cover some of the added costs to devel- opers, though it's not clear how effec- tive that will actually be. e funds will be administered by MaineHousing. Greg Payne, senior advisor on hous- ing policy for the Governor's Office for Policy Innovation and the Future, says he expects the bill to be consid- ered in the Legislative session in 2027. If it passes, it would most likely go into effect that fall, Payne says, unless it were to pass as emergency legislation, making it law immediately. Among other bills that stalled, but are expected to be taken up in the next Legislative session, is LD 2164, which would provide technical and financial assistance to towns seeking to convert vacant school buildings into housing. e program would be adminis- tered by the Augusta-based Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Author- ity, a quasi-governmental agency cre- ated in 2023 to rehabilitate abandoned or underutilized properties. Much more needs to be done Patrick Woodcock, president and CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, says much more work needs to be done to meet Maine's housing needs. e Chamber is part of the Build Maine Build Communities advocacy coalition, launched in November 2025 in partnership with the Maine Afford- able Housing Coalition, the Maine Real Estate and Development Asso- ciation and the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce. "Maine needs a breakthrough year with our housing production, to lower the costs for residents and attract new workers to our state, to ultimately grow our economy," Woodcock says. "Maine and local communities will need to significantly build on these efforts, to lower the cost of building homes, streamline the permitting at the state and local level and provide long-term sustainable funding." Mitchell of the Maine Afford- able Housing Coalition agrees there is work to be done. "My biggest take away from this ses- sion is there's so much to do," Mitchel says. "And all of us at MAHC are just super energized to keep moving hous- ing policy forward in Maine because all Maine people deserve a home." T i n a F i s c h e r , M a i n e b i z s t a f f w r i t e r, c a n b e r e a c h e d a t t f i s c h e r @ m a i n e b i z . b i z Building Maine's Future Complex development projects demand clear vision, careful coordination, and experienced counsel. Using a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to guide projects from concept through closing, Peter Klein Peter Klein, Ted Kelleher Ted Kelleher, Lisa Whitt Lisa Whitt, Laura Laura Hartz Hartz, Lynn Donohue Lynn Donohue, and Christopher Hatch Christopher Hatch bring decades of experience advising developers, owners, contractors, investors, and lenders on sophisticated real estate and community development projects, including: • Mixed-use retail and office developments • Hospitality and condominium projects • Affordable and workforce housing • Public-private partnerships • Complex financing, including Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Historic and New Markets Tax Credits, and tax-exempt bonds LEARN MORE about what our Real Estate Team can do for you. dwmlaw.com | 800.727.1941 F I L E P H O T O Maine needs a breakthrough year with our housing production, to lower the costs for residents and attract new workers to our state. — Patrick Woodcock Maine State Chamber of Commerce Patrick Woodcock