Sen. Vitelli introduces bill to improve sustainable housing options for Maine families

AUGUSTA — On Friday, Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, introduced a bill that would improve the variety of sustainable housing options in Maine. LD 1240, “Resolve, To Review Barriers to Regional Solutions for Housing Choices,” was the subject of a public hearing before the Legislature’s Committee on Labor and Housing.

“Maine is a great place to live, as we all know and as many newcomers this past year have discovered. As excited as we are to welcome these new Mainers and their many skills and talents, it’s highlighted the housing challenges our state has faced for some time,” said Sen. Vitelli. “Developing diverse and affordable housing options in the coming years will be critical to growing Maine’s economy. We must ensure that Maine is a livable place for a variety of individuals, families and communities.”

LD 1240 would direct the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of Community Development to conduct a review of barriers to regional solutions to making housing affordable, accessible, available, functional and compatible with strategies outlined in the December 2020 climate action plan of the Maine Climate Council, “Maine Won’t Wait: A Four-year Plan for Climate Action.” It directs the office to report to the Committee on Labor and Housing by Dec. 1, 2021, with a summary of these barriers, their implications and potential solutions.

“As a supporter of and participant in the work of the Maine Climate Council, we also strongly endorse efforts to make future housing investments compatible with its recommendations,” said Greg Payne, director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, in testimony supporting the bill. “Since residential buildings are responsible for such a large share of our state’s carbon emissions, our new construction, adaptive reuse, rehabilitation and weatherization activities must be undertaken with climate impact in mind.”

LD 1240 faces further action in committee.