BATH, Maine — As part of this week's announced final proposal for a balanced state budget, Democrat Governor Janet Mills plans to invest in affordable housing.
"We need the workforce; we need everybody to be a healthy productive citizen in this state," Mills said, in part, Wednesday, when addressing her bill amendments, called a change packet.
Emily Ruger is Bath's economic development director. She asked to meet us in front of a building under construction downtown, which was made possible through the state's low-income housing tax credit program and will offer 60 units when completed. In her change package, Mills wants $35 million more dollars directed to that program to help other cities do the same.
"The housing situation is like a pressure cooker right now," Ruger said, explaining that the 60-unit building will greatly alleviate that pressure.
Across town, funds from the rural affordable rental housing program have enticed a developer to build at this Center Street property. That program promotes smaller projects–18 units maximum–in Maine's small cities and towns. That, Ruger said, is what brings in developers who might have stayed away.
"It allows developers to take on smaller projects, simpler projects, more streamlined projects," she said.
The rural housing program began during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the Maine Jobs and Recovery Act, passed by the Legislature and signed by Mills. The program is run by MaineHousing, which Dan Brennan directs. Brennan echoed Ruger's sentiment that it works in concert with the tax credit program, attracting developers who don't want to take on larger projects.
"It's just a way to further expand the tools that we have to help provide affordable housing, and we're finding that people are really responding to it, so, we're pretty excited," Brennan said.
Mills' wish list requires legislative approval. In a joint statement Thursday, House and Senate Republicans wrote, "We don't find the Governor's change package responsive to the times, or responsive to the needs of the Maine people."
When asked for comment on the GOP statement, Brennan said he would leave the politics to the politicians, but was confident in years of cross-aisle support for similar efforts.
"Across both sides, there has been great support for affordable housing initiatives, and we're very grateful for that," he said.