By RANDY SEAVER, Editor
Following more than an hour of passionate and sometimes tense debate, the Biddeford City Council voted 6-3 (Cote, Kurtz and Woods) Tuesday to reject a proposed 90-day moratorium on rental and lease fee increases at mobile home parks in the city.
More than 20 mobile home park residents packed the council chambers, making their support for the moratorium known both in attendance and sometimes emotional testimony before the council.
The moratorium was proposed by Ward Seven City Councilor Brad Cote whose district includes one of several mobile home parks in the city.
Donna Porter, a resident at the Granite Estates mobile home park, told councilors that most of her neighbors are elderly and on fixed incomes. She said the park was sold to a new out-of-state owner in 2021 and that monthly rent fees have increased dramatically since then.
“Most of us are elderly and on a fixed income,” Porter said, claiming that incremental increases have seen monthly lot fees increase by more than $250 per month over the last five years.
Porter told the council that she and other residents are offered no tangible amenities other than weekly trash pickup and snow removal.
“We pay for our own heat, water, electricity and sewer,” Porter said. “What we are facing now is nothing but blatant corporate greed.”
Chris Parsons, another Granite Estates resident, said he does not object to a private business earning a profit.
A self-described semi-retired, small business owner, Parson told the council that the park’s new owners “are certainly entitled” to making a profit, but it should be done in a “reasonable way” that is consistent with Maine values. “Where are we supposed to go?” he asked the council.
The Maine Legislature is currently wrestling with the mobile home park fee dilemmas across the state.
Alex White, a self-described “real estate professional” cautioned the council against enacting a moratorium, arguing that such a move would have a “chilling effect” on potential investors who are looking to do business in Biddeford.
“I don’t really have a dog in this fight, but at the risk of being tarred and feathered, I would say that a moratorium is an unnecessary step, which should be reserved for real emergencies.”
White said the council could easily consider the issue and possible policy changes without enacting an emergency 90-day moratorium.
The council debate touched on several issues, and Cote was visibly frustrated by the remarks from some of his fellow councilors, most notably commentary from at-large Councilor Marc Lessard, a self-described fiscal conservative.
Lessard described the proposed moratorium as the first step on a “slippery slope” that could lead to the implementation of rent control in Biddeford.
Pointing out that more than 50 percent of housing units in Biddeford are rental units versus owner-occupied homes, Lessard argued that the city should not put its thumbprint on private business.
“Where does this end?” Lessard asked, rhetorically. “Do we tell Hannaford that they cannot raise their costs because food is too expensive?”
Lessard said the city would never approve a moratorium on property tax increases but is trying to tell the private sector how much their prices can increase.
“I empathize with the plight of those who are here tonight,” Lessard said. “There are no easy answers to this.”
Cote said the council is facing a potentially hypocritical dilemma.
“How, on God’s green earth, are we going to claim that this council is going to address affordable housing with a straight face if we can’t pass a simple 90-day moratorium to examine this issue?” Cote said. “You don’t want to see unhoused people downtown. Well, things are just going to get worse.”
Other councilors, including Patricia Boston and Roger Beaupre, pointed out that the 90-day moratorium would have no tangible benefit to either the city or park residents.
“It might look good, but nothing we do tonight would impact these residents,” Boston said, suggesting that the council should consider a broader policy that could include updated state policy recommendations.
“Ninety days is simply not enough time to craft an ordinance,” Beaupre added. “I empathize with the people here tonight. I would like to have a moratorium on my cable bill.”
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Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com
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