In their final debate, the five Democrats running for governor were asked how they would help struggling renters. From rent relief to eviction prevention, the candidates highlighted parts of their housing plans, while reiterating much of what they’ve said before: there’s a housing crisis, with insufficient stock and a dearth of affordable options.
Amid a flurry of last-minute campaign events ahead of the June 9 primary, the five Democratic candidates — Shenna Bellows, Troy Jackson, Angus King III, Hannah Pingree and Nirav Shah — gathered at the University of Southern Maine’s Hannaford Hall on Thursday evening for a forum sponsored by the Cumberland County Democratic Party.
“There are over 150,000 renter households in Maine. Fifty-one percent of them are spending as much as 51% of their income on rent and risk eviction every month,” said moderator Cathy Lee. “Many of you focus on building housing, which takes years, or reducing property taxes for homeowners. What policies do you propose that would stabilize renter households now?”
Shah, the former head of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, talked about his immigrant family living in a “ratty” apartment in the west side of Chicago fearful of getting the boot from the landlord. He said in Maine “it is relatively easy to evict somebody if they are not paying their rent in a timely manner” and as governor he would shore up tenants’ rights. He also talked about permanently funding rent relief as well as existing programs that provide services and support before people are on the cusp of eviction.
Both Jackson and Bellows specifically mentioned the Quality Housing Coalition’s Project Home, a Portland-area eviction prevention program that offers wrap-around services to tenants who have experienced homelessness or housing insecurity, as a model that should be expanded across the state. They also both discussed the impact that private equity is having on the housing market.
“[W]e have to protect the stock that we have right now,” Jackson said, “be it houses, be it apartment buildings, mobile home parks, private equity is coming in here, buying these places up and forcing people out by raising rates, and the greed of this industry is insatiable.”
Jackson, a former Maine Senate president and logger from Allagash, also highlighted the work being done at UMaine Orono to 3D print homes with wood fiber, which is currently being explored as a solution for Bangor’s unhoused community, and said if elected he’d look into tax credits for renters.
“Housing is a human right,” Bellows declared, noting that in her hometown of Hancock, a mobile home park bought by private equity is pricing out longtime residents. Bellows, who currently serves as Maine Secretary of State, said the state needs to take a “housing first approach,” and said if elected she’d expand recovery homes and support a tenant’s bill of rights.
King did not say how he would help renters but highlighted the impact on companies that can’t secure affordable or stable housing for employees. “That is a huge problem for our economy, not just for our families, and for creating more and better jobs,” he said.
He also argued that with innovation in design, materials and policy it would not be as time consuming and cumbersome to build new, affordable housing stock.
Pingree, who previously served as speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, highlighted her housing plan and vowed that if elected she would end veteran homelessness during her first year in office. She also rattled off several other initiatives, including investing in workforce housing, partnering with communities to ease development, stopping private equity, and supporting mobile home park cooperatives.
The expansive conversation also touched upon many of the same issues as the dozens of previous events the candidates have participated in: lowering the cost of healthcare and energy, tax fairness and fighting President Donald Trump’s administration, among others. Throughout the discussion, the candidates repeatedly agreed and emphasized each others’ skills and experience.
The forum came days after Bellows, Jackson and Pingree announced they were cross-endorsing each other in an effort to utilize the ranked-choice format and not split votes among their supporters. Whoever wins will face the Republican nominee, as well as at least one independent candidate, Sen. Rick Bennett, in the November election to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Janet Mills.
Shah was the frontrunner in several polls, though the latest Pine Tree State Poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released Wednesday had Jackson tied with Shah at 28%.If no candidate secures more than 50%, the primary will enter a ranked-choice run-off that could take several days. The November general election will not be ranked.