Committee advances Sen. Curry bills to expand housing production across Maine

AUGUSTA — On Tuesday, Jan. 27, the Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee advanced two bills from Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast, aimed at helping Maine build and preserve more affordable homes. LD 2057, “An Act to Support Rehabilitation and Development of Affordable Manufactured Housing Communities,” and LD 2127, “An Act to Increase the Cap on Bonds Issued by the Maine State Housing Authority to Reflect Current Housing Production Needs in the State,” both strengthen MaineHousing’s ability to finance urgently needed housing projects.

Together, the bills aim to ensure existing housing dollars go further while helping MaineHousing keep pace with the scale of the state’s housing shortage.

“We are in a moment where the need for housing is urgent, and the cost of building it has never been higher. These bills are about making sure the State has both the flexibility and the capacity to keep projects moving, preserve some of our most affordable homes and help more Maine people find a safe place to live,” said Sen. Curry. “These are practical, behind-the-scenes tools, but they make a real difference. If we want more housing built in Maine — especially housing that working families and seniors can afford — we have to make sure the financing side can keep up with the demand.”

LD 2057, as amended, expands MaineHousing’s ability to finance construction loans for affordable housing in the state by removing outdated requirements that can add cost and complexity to housing development.

LD 2127 increases MaineHousing’s bond cap to reflect today’s housing market. MaineHousing uses these bonds to finance affordable rental housing and first-time homebuyer mortgages, and the bonds are repaid through those housing loans — not the state’s General Fund. The change ensures the agency can continue supporting housing production at the scale Maine needs as construction costs rise and more projects move forward.

Both bills now await votes in the full Senate and House.

Sen. Curry is serving his third term in the Maine Senate, representing all of Waldo County. He serves as the Senate Chair of the Housing and Economic Development Committee and sits on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

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