CENTRAL MAINE • November 25, 2025
Zoning reform has become Augusta’s favorite response to Maine’s housing crisis. It’s tidy, inexpensive and gives the comforting appearance of action. But in the places where the shortage is most severe — coastal towns, service-center cities and tourism-driven regions — zoning was never the real barrier. Making it the centerpiece of state housing policy has stalled the one conversation that could actually move the needle: the economics of building housing in Maine. Maine has strong tools for deeply affordable housing, but almost nothing for the middle of the market. Without infrastructure funding, a workforce-housing finance program, predevelopment support or risk-mitigation tools, zoning reform only rearranges possibilities on paper. ~ Audra Caler, Camden