Biddeford rejects Mobile Home Park rent increase moratorium

A proposed moratorium on mobile home lot increases in Biddeford failed to get approval.

The suggested 90-day moratorium failed 6-3 at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

Councilor Brad Cote, along with councilors Abigail Woods and David Kurtz voted in favor. Cote brought the item to the Council after talking with some of his constituents from the Granite Estates, a 55 plus mobile home park. He said residents told him that from 2016-2022, monthly lot rent increased from $300 to $385. The park has since been sold to an out-of-state owner, and he was told lot rents are now $625 a month, and lot fees for new residents are advertised at $900 a month.

Cote said a 90-day moratorium would give the city “a little breathing room” and allow some time to discuss local options and see what happens to proposed legislature on the state level.

“We’ve got to stop the madness…. People that have lived here for a long time are being priced out,” said Cote.

Granite Estates resident Donna Porter said most of the people who live at the park are retired and on a fixed income. She said the rent keeps increasing, but there are no services to justify the increases.

“Fixed means fixed… and it’s getting really hard to maintain our homes,” she said.

Granite Estates resident Christopher Parsons said he realized the park owner needed to make a profit, but the rate increase was exorbitant.

“Maine is a wonderful place to live, and this is an example of when corporate greed is getting out of hand,” he said.

Councilor Woods said there was currently an affordable housing crisis.

“I think this is a great step right now that we can do for the residents sitting in front of us to help them be able to stay in Biddeford. Whether you’ve been here a year or you’re whole lives, you deserve to stay here,” she said.

Councilor Marc Lessard said he remembered the days when people couldn’t afford to invest in properties and it created blight. He said he didn’t want to see that happen again because businesses couldn’t charge what they needed to maintain their property.

Councilor Dylan Doughty opposed the moratorium because he did not think the city would be able to do anything that would sufficiently address the situation in 90 days, and it would be a long process before any applicable state legislature was approved. He said the city could instead take the time to make a good and thorough ordinance without a deadline and not get people’s hopes up that the city will do something it can’t accomplish.

Mayor Liam LaFountain suggested the city’s policy committee could further discuss the matter or the city could consider creating an ad hoc committee.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.