Communities are starting to consider new tools to address the lack of affordable rental housing in Maine's midcoast. On Wednesday, Rockland's City Council opened the issue to the public by hosting a forum on rent stabilization.
A $10 million bond approved by Rockland voters in June will allow the city of around 7,000 to borrow money to build more affordable housing.
"But unless anybody can pull a house fully built out of their back pocket, we have issues right now," said City Councilor Kaitlin Callahan. "And what can we do in the short term?"
Callahan and Councilor Nathan Davis helped organize the forum. City officials stressed that they're not advocating for specific policies, and instead want to brainstorm solutions with tenants and landlords to address steep rent increases.
But the city is almost done with its revaluation process, and property taxes are likely going to change. Which is why even the mention of rent stabilization had landlords like Buddy Carleton on edge.
"Tenants deserve the right to obtain affordable housing," Carleton said. "And landlords deserve the right to increase rents to offset huge increases in their expenses, without the city controlling what they can charge for rent."
Property owners, who were the majority of the dozen or so people at the meeting, suggested the city instead consider subsidies for renters and tax incentives for landlords to keep rent more stable.