New laws by Sen. Curry to address housing shortage, strengthen firefighter training take effect

AUGUSTA — Today, five new laws introduced by Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast, took effect after being passed by the Legislature earlier this year. Four of the laws address different barriers contributing to Maine’s shortage of affordable housing, while a fifth provides additional funding for regional firefighter training facilities.

• 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,” will ensure MaineHousing can continue financing affordable rental homes and first-time homebuyer mortgages as construction costs rise and demand for housing grows.

• LD 2057, “An Act to Support Rehabilitation and Development of Affordable Housing,” will remove outdated financing requirements that add cost and complexity to affordable housing development, helping existing housing dollars go further and keeping more projects moving.

• LD 2224, “An Act to Reduce Certain Costs Associated with Residential Construction,” will reduce unnecessary regulatory costs that make it more expensive to build new homes in Maine while preserving important health and safety standards.

• LD 2225, “An Act to Support Municipal Enforcement of Residential Construction Laws, Codes and Regulations,” will help communities strengthen local code enforcement capacity and move locally approved housing projects forward safely and efficiently.

Additionally, another new law sponsored by Sen. Curry, LD 679, “An Act to Increase the Funding to the Live Fire Service Training Facilities Fund,” will help firefighters access critical, hands-on training closer to home, strengthening local departments and ensuring first responders are prepared to protect themselves and their communities.

Beyond the measures he sponsored, Sen. Curry is also pleased to see several additional housing laws take effect. As Senate chair of the Housing and Economic Development Committee, Sen. Curry worked closely with committee members, housing advocates, municipalities and industry stakeholders to refine these measures and move them through the legislative process.

• LD 2231 expands access to mortgage financing for manufactured homes on leased land and gives mobile home park residents an opportunity to seek mediation when rent or fee increases significantly outpace inflation.

• LD 2149 strengthens protections against predatory mobile home park acquisitions by improving enforcement of the transfer assessment and closing potential loopholes.

• LD 128 streamlines state permitting for certain small multifamily and low-impact housing developments.

“Maine’s housing crisis will not be solved by a single bill. It takes the steady work of removing barriers, protecting the homes we already have and making sure our housing resources can reach more projects.  Taken together, these laws move us closer to a state where young people can put down roots, older Mainers can remain in their communities and employers can find the workers they need,” said Sen. Curry. “The investment in live-fire training is also an important step for Waldo County. It will help firefighters train closer to home today while contributing to the larger work of building a strong, sustainable emergency-response system our communities can rely on for the next 30 years.”

As non-emergency legislation, LD 2127, LD 2057, LD 2224, LD 2225 and LD 679 take effect today, July 29, 90 days after the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature adjourned. All five measures were signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills.

This year, Sen. Curry returned to Augusta to lower everyday costs, protect Maine’s future and defend Mainers’ fundamental rights and freedoms.

Sen. Curry is serving his third term representing the 26 rural, coastal and island communities of Waldo County in the Maine Senate. He serves as Senate chair of the Housing and Economic Development Committee and is a member of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.

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