Housing is a climate issue — one of the most consequential

MAINE MONITOR • June 25, 2023

Housing matters. “We can’t beat the climate crisis without rethinking land use,” said the authors of a 2021 report from the Brookings Institution. At a workshop in Bar Harbor last month, the word of the night was “density.” “Build up, not out!” one participant shouted excitedly. Heads nodded and a murmur of agreement swept through the room. The density advocates in Bar Harbor may get their wish. A law signed last year by Governor Mills, LD 2003, essentially bans single-family zoning, requiring municipalities to allow two to four units per house lot, depending on certain conditions, and allows developers to build 2.5 times the number of units allowed under local zoning if they meet affordability criteria.