Speaker Fecteau Introduces Bill to Increase Housing Development
LD 1829 would amend zoning to encourage density and prohibit growth caps
AUGUSTA – Speaker Ryan D. Fecteau (D-Biddeford) this week introduced a bill (LD 1829) that would make it easier to build new housing units by amending zoning requirements and providing clarity for municipalities, developers, and Maine people.
“This kind of change comes slowly, and that’s part of the challenge we face. But I believe inaction is not an option,” said Speaker Ryan Fecteau. “This is a partnership. It's not just the state legislature that is going to solve these challenges. And it's not just municipalities that are going to solve these challenges. It is also finding ways to attract those who want to build housing. It’s about finding ways to improve our supply chains so that the cost to build the housing is not so astronomically expensive that ultimately when the house is built, the developer has no choice but to put a price tag on it that is exclusive to only certain folks who live in our communities. ”
LD 1829 proposes to:
Reduce minimum lot sizes for construction to no more than 5,000 square feet per dwelling unit.
Create a height bonus for affordable housing.
Remove owner occupancy requirements to unlock financing for construction.
Allow accessory dwelling units to be condominiumized, to help encourage development.
Update sprinkler requirements to make building more cost-effective without compromising safety.
Streamline municipal review for projects that meet certain requirements.
Make minor updates to subdivision law.
Clarify LD 2003’s unit bonus, which allows for more housing units in residential areas.
Require training for municipal Planning Board members.
Prohibit growth caps for residential development.
“LD 1829 aims to address the barriers to new housing development that were created by changes to zoning and land use policies over time,” said Speaker Fecteau. “This proposal will support Maine’s families, workforce, and economy by reducing barriers to new housing production.”
Leaders from Maine’s business and affordable housing sectors shared strong support for the bill:
“Maine’s limited housing supply is driving up rent and mortgages for Mainers, exacerbating the difficulty of finding employees to grow Maine’s economy,” said Patrick Woodcock, President & CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. “ The Maine State Chamber of Commerce welcomes Speaker Fecteau’s legislation to reduce barriers to housing development, and encourages the Legislature to accelerate housing production to expand the state’s workforce and tackle the affordability of housing for Mainers.”
“Building any type of housing in Maine is extremely difficult and expensive. These costs and our home shortage are not isolated to one town or region. It is structural, systemic, and statewide,” said Laura Mitchell, Executive Director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition. “LD 1829 sets us on a better path. Maine communities will always be able to shape their futures, but with the understanding that solving our shared housing challenge requires consistency and commitment at all levels of government.”
A 2023 report by MaineHousing and the Department of Economic and Community Development found that Maine needs to create at least 84,000 new units of housing by 2030.
The Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee will hold a work session on the bill Friday.
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