Maine Lawmakers to Make Maine’s Housing Crisis a Priority

Frustration for Mainers continues to grow as the last couple of years have proven to be a tough time for people to not only buy homes, but to also just find a suitable roof over their heads to rent within their budget.

The recommendation that I've always heard seems to continue to be the general consensus. In order for people to have a savings account, be able to pay their bills, and essentially live comfortably, you should not exceed paying more than 30% of your monthly pre-taxed income on rent or mortgage payments.

You may be reading this right now and realizing that you are way over your head in monthly housing costs. You are not alone. According to an article published last year by the Portland Press Herald, nearly half of Mainers are spending closer to 50% or more on monthly housing costs. I would be willing to bet that number has only grown.

According to News Center Maine, state lawmakers are planning to make affordable housing a priority during the upcoming legislative session. News Center Maine also reported that those solutions include looking into down payment assistance, as well as proposing price decreases in construction.

Affordable housing appears to be a problem recognized by both sides of the aisle, who seem to be in agreement that more needs to be done. That said, I wouldn't expect any big changes overnight, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.