PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • March 8, 2022
Maine has a strong ethic of home rule: the belief that local governments are the best judges of local needs. But the statewide affordable-housing crisis shows that isn’t always the case. Instead of addressing one of the most basic human needs, many municipal governments have passed land-use ordinances over the years that have made the problem worse. The current crisis shows that zoning regulations don’t give the state the flexibility needed to build affordable housing where and when it makes sense. Making sure that there is room for growth in every town means that we can grow in the right places at the right times. Making sure that everyone can have a home should be more important than home rule.