BIDDEFORD — Mayor Alan Casavant announced Thursday, Aug. 12 he will run for mayor again in November, and if elected, it will be his sixth and final term.
The mayoral race so far is between Casavant and former State Representative and City Councilor Victoria Foley, who announced her candidacy in July. The candidates have until Sept. 2 to turn in the valid signatures to appear on the ballot in the November election.
Casavant was first elected in 2011, and throughout his 10 years serving as mayor, the city of Biddeford has transformed into a hub for artists, entrepreneurs and investors. The closure of the Maine Energy Recovery Company waste to energy incinerator and the improvement of the downtown and mill district made the city a destination for many new residents and investors.
With the increased development, the city is experiencing what Casavant calls an unprecedented housing crunch.
“Adding to the city’s inventory of housing stock is my top priority. More supply is the best way to apply downward pressure on rents and sale prices,” said Casavant. “I want to be a catalyst for all kinds of new housing.”
Casavant said there are a number of projects in the works for new housing units, including some affordable housing. The City Council recently approved a plan to build 250 apartments for health care employees at the end of Barra Road.
Additional housing is planned as part of the first phase of development on the former Maine Energy incinerator site, construction there could break ground as early as April 2022, Casavant said. Developers Jim Brady and Brian Eng reached an agreement with the council in 2019, and their plan includes commercial and residential buildings.
“I think they’ve done an amazing job in terms of creating a special Pearl Street neighborhood. To have it be pedestrian-friendly with cobblestones and plant work, trees, and so forth, so it’s going to entirely change,” said Casavant. “That’s another one of those exciting things that are just on the cusp of happening.”
With the help of a new law, affordable housing development is in the works as well, Casavant said. In April, Sen. Susan Deschambault of Biddeford introduced LD 953, a bill that allows municipalities to use tax increment financing to pay for the development of affordable housing.
In June, Governor Mills signed it into law.
Casavant said under this law, market-rate developments can be a means to develop affordable units.
“If we create a tax increment finance zone around those buildings, we can use that money, the tax money that’s generated, either all of it or a portion of it, to subsidize the creation of affordable housing,” Casavant said.
Casavant says under this law, as developers build in the city, it creates more opportunities for affordable housing projects.
When deciding to run for his sixth term, Casavant said he had a lot to consider.
“My decision was based on (my love for the job)and the realization that there are still things that I would like to do,” said Casavant. “COVID-19 kind of slowed that down as it did for everybody else’s life, but there are things out there that can still have an impact.”
While housing is Casavant’s top priority currently, he has other goals he hopes to accomplish if elected, including some related to climate change, neighborhood outreach and infrastructure.
“Nobody I talk to ever tells me they’d like to see Biddeford go back to where we used to be,” Casavant said. “Without exception, people love what’s been happening. The results. Now I intend to complete the job and finish positioning the city for its next century. I believe our future is exceptionally bright.”
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