Letter: Address the housing crisis in Maine

Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to [email protected]
In reference to an address by Gov. Janet Mills over a year ago on Oct. 6, 2023, the efforts of the government to create more affordable housing in Maine are to be commended. However, the people of Maine still see a constant lack of change with the issue, and housing stock is nowhere near the number it should be in order for residents to have an affordable variety of housing options.
As Mills suggests in her address, the necessity of new housing comes from the increasing relocation to Maine and the growing workforce, all benefitting Maine’s economy and filling jobs. However, due to this, as the number of available homes on the market remains low, while the number of potential home buyers increase, this leads to the inflated pricing.
As Mills states, she has signed several pieces of legislation, such as the creation of the state Affordable Housing Tax Credit, Affordable Homeownership Program and more in order to combat the crisis. However, this problem is still very relevant today, a year after her address, and housing costs have risen since 2023, just as they have in the many years prior. As someone who has lived in Maine their whole life, and would like to be able to meet the expenses of an apartment or house in the future, a push for further funding seems critical and necessary, so that availability is increased and therefore prices are affordable for Mainers.
Eva Orcutt
Orrington