Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau wants to form a 15-member commission to study housing shortages for low- and middle-income residents.
The commission would evaluate state regulations that affect local housing ordinances and review other states’ approaches to meeting the demand for affordable housing.
Maine Equal Justice fellow Oriana Farnham says there are 25,000 Mainers already on Section 8 waiting lists awaiting housing assistance.
“But even when these families do get vouchers, many will still struggle to find safe, affordable housing because of our state’s housing supply problem,” Farnham says.
Farnham says housing vouchers may not cover the costs for some rental properties and the quality of available units may not meet program standards.
According to the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, more than 31,000 Maine residents pay more than half their income toward housing costs.
Fecteau’s bill received broad support at Monday’s public hearing before the Legislature’s labor and housing committee.
