Why many storm-damaged coastal Maine homes won’t be eligible for relief

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • January 18, 2024

Maine has more second homes than any other state in the country, and a large chunk of them are in the coastal towns damaged by last week’s historic flooding. This has major implications, since second homes are ineligible for a major relief program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that only supports the repair or replacement of owner-occupied homes that serve as primary residences. People do not regularly live in more than one-fifth of the homes across Maine, according to 2020 Census data.