Sen. Chip Curry bill to reduce housing construction costs signed into law
AUGUSTA — On Monday, April 13, Governor Janet T. Mills signed into law legislation sponsored by Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast. LD 2224, “An Act to Reduce Certain Costs Associated with Residential Construction,” will make housing more affordable for Maine people by cutting unnecessary regulations that drive up construction and housing costs.
The bill builds on recommendations from a legislative working group established by LD 1375, a measure sponsored by Sen. Curry and enacted last year. Over the summer and fall, the group identified regulations that add unnecessary cost and complexity to housing construction and developed proposals aimed at cutting red tape and lowering the cost of building homes in Maine, helping improve affordability across the state.
“Last year, we took a hard look at the rules that drive up the cost of building housing in Maine and asked a simple question: are they making people safer or just making homes more expensive?” said Sen. Curry. “This bill is the next step. It cuts unnecessary red tape, reduces regulatory costs and helps make it more affordable to build, while maintaining the safety standards people rely on. It also puts a better process in place going forward by making sure housing affordability is part of the conversation when considering new and existing rules.”
As amended, LD 2224 directs the Technical Building Codes and Standards Board to initiate rulemaking to remove certain elevator-related requirements that add cost to residential construction in the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code. The board must report back to the Legislature on the outcome of that process.
The bill also expands the board’s membership to include an affordable housing expert, ensuring housing affordability is directly considered when future building codes are developed and updated.
In addition, LD 2224 requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to convene a working group to study the cost and life safety impacts of residential fire sprinkler systems and to examine the role of limited use limited application elevators in smaller residential buildings. The group will develop recommendations to maintain strong safety standards while identifying opportunities to reduce construction costs and improve affordability.
The working group is required to report its findings and any proposed changes to the Legislature by January 15, 2027.
As non-emergency legislation, LD 2224 will go into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns.
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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