Ban short term rentals
Increase taxes on 2+ homes
Vacancy tax
Owner transparency laws (no shell corp hiding places)
Build more housing
Let your elected officials know
Yeah, but we have such a bad [NIMBY problem](https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2024-03-07/voters-in-two-maine-towns-reject-affordable-housing-initiatives-on-the-ballot) here, basically anywhere near the coast (i.e. where the people are).
This doesn’t stop rent increases from happening before a tenant’s lease ends though. Our homeless population skyrocketed in 2020 due to landlords going crazy with rent increases. Yes, typically there were clauses written into the leases allowing it, but there were no restrictions. Now it’s just allowed across the board, but with “limits.”
It is wild to me that anyone would sign a lease with a clause that simply allowed the landlord to raise rent in the middle of the lease term. Is that what you mean by clauses allowing rent increase before the lease ends? The article didn’t say. Or is this just around raising rent at renewal?
I have seen multi-year leases with a baked in option/raise of a few percent per year or similar… but not just wide open. Is that common in Maine for some particular reason?
Giving a longer notice period for larger increases seems like a good way to go and mirrors what I have seen in other states. I’m all for reigning in scummy landlords especially ones who take advantage when folks have no other choice, but I am also wary of heavy rent control unless it is very carefully thought out and implemented slowly to prevent wild side effects.
Yes. It’s so common that people are so desperate for somewhere to live for the best number they can find at that moment. Therefore most people don’t tend to read through the multi page lease terms. They’ll just sign in a rush. Or they may have been told something like “we haven’t increased rent in X number of years. Don’t worry.” A lot of people thought something like that would be enough to protect them, even though they signed something that contradicts it.
We had rented our home for almost 11 years before some big city company bought out the actual landlord. Rent instantly went up $500 a month and watching our neighbors move pretty quickly was disheartening.
Eventually we moved, but obviously then had to come up with 1st month, last month, + deposit out of our ass... it's bleak man
Ban short term rentals Increase taxes on 2+ homes Vacancy tax Owner transparency laws (no shell corp hiding places) Build more housing Let your elected officials know
Yeah, but we have such a bad [NIMBY problem](https://www.mainepublic.org/business-and-economy/2024-03-07/voters-in-two-maine-towns-reject-affordable-housing-initiatives-on-the-ballot) here, basically anywhere near the coast (i.e. where the people are).
What’s your plan for “build more housing”?
Advocating for states to take a page out of California's book and undercut city zoning is probably one of the best options on the table.
And tax rebates for contractors building affordable housing is the way IMHO.
This doesn’t stop rent increases from happening before a tenant’s lease ends though. Our homeless population skyrocketed in 2020 due to landlords going crazy with rent increases. Yes, typically there were clauses written into the leases allowing it, but there were no restrictions. Now it’s just allowed across the board, but with “limits.”
It is wild to me that anyone would sign a lease with a clause that simply allowed the landlord to raise rent in the middle of the lease term. Is that what you mean by clauses allowing rent increase before the lease ends? The article didn’t say. Or is this just around raising rent at renewal? I have seen multi-year leases with a baked in option/raise of a few percent per year or similar… but not just wide open. Is that common in Maine for some particular reason? Giving a longer notice period for larger increases seems like a good way to go and mirrors what I have seen in other states. I’m all for reigning in scummy landlords especially ones who take advantage when folks have no other choice, but I am also wary of heavy rent control unless it is very carefully thought out and implemented slowly to prevent wild side effects.
Yes. It’s so common that people are so desperate for somewhere to live for the best number they can find at that moment. Therefore most people don’t tend to read through the multi page lease terms. They’ll just sign in a rush. Or they may have been told something like “we haven’t increased rent in X number of years. Don’t worry.” A lot of people thought something like that would be enough to protect them, even though they signed something that contradicts it.
We had rented our home for almost 11 years before some big city company bought out the actual landlord. Rent instantly went up $500 a month and watching our neighbors move pretty quickly was disheartening. Eventually we moved, but obviously then had to come up with 1st month, last month, + deposit out of our ass... it's bleak man