The Southern Midcoast Housing Coalition is sponsoring a forum at Curtis Library on May 31, 6-8 p.m., to address affordable housing needs in Brunswick and to look at fresh Ideas and opportunities to provide affordable housing.

There have been many new projects for market-rate or “luxury” apartments recently approved or near completion in Brunswick, but no significant new developments for the lower half of the rental market – yet. However, the shortage of affordable housing that has been widely understood and discussed for years seems finally to be receiving the attention and commitments required to make a difference.

Over the last two years, the Maine legislature allocated over $100 million from a variety of state and federal sources to the Maine State Housing Authority. A recent report by the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition identified that Maine needs at least 20,000 more units of rental housing to meet the needs of households currently either homeless or paying unsustainable shares of their income for housing.

Not every town in Maine is equally prepared to make use of these new opportunities. Recent history suggests that Brunswick may have greater housing needs than many towns but may be less likely to succeed in winning such development under current conditions.

The Brunswick Comprehensive Plan Update Committee has identified the need for affordable housing as one of their priorities and a number of preliminary ideas to attract such development, but their report will be at least a year and one half away and will take additional time and effort to be implemented.

One way to address one of the barriers to affordable housing would be for the town council to create a “Land Bank” through which the town could identify and secure appropriate land that could be made available to developers at a price sufficiently subsidized to facilitate the development of low-income housing.

With some starting capital, the land bank could act quickly when a parcel of land appropriate for affordable housing becomes available to purchase or option the property. The “bank” could by RFP invite landowners and developers to propose parcels or specific projects for development. The “bank” could choose land and development proposals that offer the best combination of affordability and at the best price.

There are many talented Brunswick residents with experience in housing development who could help get a land bank project underway, review proposals, and reinforce town staff stretched by current assignments and staff shortages. The proposed land “bank” could contract for administrative assistance as needed.

There are several potential sources of capital that could be applied for to initiate the Brunswick Land Bank. The Maine State Housing Authority Community Solutions Grant program invites municipalities to apply for up to $500,000 in funds to address affordable housing needs. Cumberland County is in the midst of administering a first round of requests for a total of $57 million in American Rescue Plan funds and may open another round later this spring. Other municipal land banks in Maine and around the country have received land or funds from foreclosing property, reallocating existing municipal properties, and from private charitable donations.

Brunswick has done an admirable job over the last 20 years in identifying and protecting land for conservation through the private efforts of the Brunswick Topsham Land Trust and town council appropriations. Land for affordable housing could use similar commitments of time, expertise, and money.

The forum at Curtis Library on May 31 will be moderated by State Senate Assistant Majority Leader Mattie Daughtry, who will also describe briefly the variety of initiatives that the legislature has supported for affordable housing.

Lois Skillings, president of Mid Coast-Parkview Health, will provide insight into the housing shortage’s effects both on public health and on large employers’ challenges in recruiting essential staff. Dana Totman, President of Avesta Housing, will speak from the experience of a major nonprofit developer of what towns can do to make it easier (or harder) to attract affordable housing development. John Hodge, Executive Director of Brunswick Topsham Housing Authority will speak to both the acute housing shortages experienced recently in the Brunswick area and particular ways (including a “land bank”) the town could address these needs creatively.

The forum gives participants the chance to learn more about how to create more affordable housing in Brunswick and the many ways we all can advance practical solutions to these challenges.

Christopher St John is a retired resident of Brunswick, a neighbor of The Gathering Place, Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program and Tedford Housing, and a member of the Southern Midcoast Housing Collaborative. Giving Voice is a weekly collaboration among four local non-profit service agencies to share information and stories about their work in the community. 

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