Voter Guide to Portland’s Question A

June 13th Portland Municipal Election

Voter Guide to Ballot Question A

By Colin Monahan

Portland voters will contend with two ballot questions, concerning rent control (Question A) and the school budget, in the upcoming June 13th municipal elections. The Southern Maine Rental Housing Alliance (RHA), formerly known as the Southern Maine Landlord Association, successfully advanced a citizen initiative referendum to the ballot which seeks to amend the Rent Control Ordinance previously passed by Portland voters in 2020, and later amended this past November 2022. RHA’s proposed amendment would eliminate rental increase limits specifically when a tenant voluntarily terminates their lease. 

The RHA’s amended language to “An Act to Amend Rent Control and Tenant Protections” reads in part:

“If the tenancy of a covered unit is terminated voluntarily by a tenant, the landlord may establish a new base rent at their discretion. Voluntary termination occurs when a tenant decides to return the leased premises to the landlord before the expiration of the lease or determines not to renew a lease.”

Question A or Status Quo

Under the current rent control ordinance, if a tenant terminates their lease, the landlord may only increase rent by 5% of their base rent. Base rent is defined by the City of Portland Permitting and Inspections Department as “the amount of rent charged for the unit in June 2020.” If Question A were to pass, landlords may charge rent in excess of 5% upon a tenant voluntarily leaving, however, no more than the maximum allowable rent increase cap of 10%. Additionally, the current ordinance only allows for a rent increase once per twelve months regardless of new tenancies. RHA’s proposed amendment rescinds this time constraint.

Question A and the Housing Crisis

Critics of the RHA warn that the passage of this referendum will exacerbate Maine’s already worsening housing crisis. According to Maine Biz, Maine has the second lowest rental housing vacancy rate in the country at 2.9%, trailing Massachusetts at 2.8%. The Maine State Housing Authority reported that the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in 2020 was $1,880, a price point that less than a third of Maine households can afford. 

The RHA has historically opposed bills in the Maine legislature that protect tenants such as “An Act to Decrease Discrimination Based on Evictions in Housing Applications,” a bill banning landlords from requesting a tenant’s eviction history, and “An Act to Prevent Retaliatory Evictions,” a bill protecting tenants from unusual rent increase notices, amongst others. 

Portland residents will also vote on approving the city’s proposed school budget for the 2023-24 academic year. The City of Portland’s Municipal elections will take place on Tuesday, June 13th. You can request your absentee ballot at PortlandMaine.Gov.