City Council Adds language regarding suspending evictions; prohibiting short-term rentals
PORTLAND, Maine — The Portland City Council voted Monday night, March 30th, to extend the State of Emergency and Stay at Home order until April 27th. The vote extends the Emergency Order originally issued by the City Manager on March 24th and replaces it with this Emergency Order.
The emergency stay at home order continues to have measures that apply to both residents and businesses, and is in response to the need to lessen the community spread of COVID-19, a global pandemic.
The Council debated five amendments related to the emergency stay at home order:
- Amendment 1 Re: Suspending Evictions – Passed (9-0).
- Amendment 2 Re: Curbside Pick-Up or Delivery for Non-Essential Businesses – Failed to pass (2-7).
- Amendment 3 Re: Prohibiting Short-Term Rentals – Passed w/ an amendment. (9-0)
- Amendment 4 Re: Extending Sundays on the Boulevard – Failed (3-6).
- Amendment 5 Re: Various Deadline Suspensions and Essential Services – Passed (9-0) with an amendment to remove item #3 regarding adopting the State’s definition of essential services. Item #3 will be taken up at the next Council meeting on April 13th.
Portland’s City Code (Chapter 2, section 2-406) authorizes the City Manager to issue an emergency proclamation when a civil emergency exists, and for the City Council to renew and extend that proclamation. It specifically allows for the City Manager and the Council to exercise broad emergency powers to protect life and property, restrict the movement of persons within the city, and other regulations necessary to preserve the public peace, health, and safety (Chapter 2, section 2-408).
The public is encouraged to stay up to date on the latest information from the Maine CDC. The City is posting information related to COVID-19 resources on a dedicated page at https://www.portlandmaine.gov/COVID19. The resources page includes translated materials for our multilingual neighbors.
