housing

The city is asking the community for help with donations.

Lawmakers in Augusta heard from dozens of people about the need for a "housing first" bill on Tuesday. It would be the first statewide model to employ the method.

The Kingsleigh Inn will be converted into space that will house 10 Acadia National Park employees. The park was shorthanded last summer by 30-to-50 employees, in part, because of a lack of available housing for seasonal workers.

Housing first can mean providing permanent housing without restrictions, such as sobriety requirements. It also often involves offering mental health counseling to residents to help them stay housed.

The plans call for the construction of about 200 affordable and 600 market-rate housing units in seven new buildings in Portland's Bayside neighborhood.

A draft proposal would require landlords to pay an annual registration fee of $100 per rental unit to cover the costs of hiring more code enforcement officials and more frequent inspections.

Immigrant advocates in Maine quickly pushed back on that idea. But a spokesperson for the city of Portland said the city is supportive of the Senator's efforts.

The ordinance, passed by the Bangor City Council on Monday, raises the notice period for a rent increase from 45 days to 60. It also sets new limits on the fees that landlords can charge to screen prospective tenants.

But church leaders said they're not sure how long they can maintain these volunteer efforts.

Aid groups and municipal agencies have been warning of the potential for mass evictions when a federal rental assistance program expires at the end of December.