Campaign Phone
207-200-7791
Lack of affordable housing: We need state support to lower rents, build more affordable housing (including housing-first units to address homelessness), and make homeownership more accessible and sustainable for the working class.
Climate change: Portland is already feeling the effects of climate change, and we must be proactive about protecting our community in the face of uncertainty.
Economic inequality: We must work to reduce the costs of healthcare, childcare, food, heat, electricity, and other basic needs, which are far too high currently. But lowering costs is only one part of the equation: workers in Portland must have greater economic power and democratic control over their workplaces.
First, open and transparent communication. I will make all the bills I’m working on public when possible, and solicit feedback from my constituents.
Second, on-going constituent outreach. I will conduct regular ‘office-hours’ sessions in the district during the summer, in an attempt to reach people who have not previously been politically engaged. I will also work directly with local community groups to understand their concerns and advocate for them in Augusta.
The affordable housing crisis in Maine has two components—lack of inventory, and problematic ownership structures. We absolutely need to build more, but we also need to promote a more egalitarian ownership structure, so that more people benefit from new construction.
We should first focus on building social housing and creating more robust home-buyer assistance and home rehabilitation programs to make home ownership more accessible. I will also work to boost research and development around alternative building technologies, which can significantly reduce costs and lead times.
We must also ensure that municipalities have the tools they need to increase affordable housing at the local level.
I have been endorsed by the following organizations and individuals:
Maine Education Association; Maine AFL-CIO; Maine People’s Alliance; Maine Service Employees Association, SEIU Local 1989; Wabanaki Alliance; Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund PAC; April Fournier, Portland city councilor at-large; Maine Conservation Voters Action Fund; and the Maine Credit Union League.
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