Congress just passed a major housing bill. Here’s how it will help Maine.

 Demolition of Preble Chapel, which was built in 1851, seen in April. The nonprofit Youth and Family Outreach, along with the Developers Collaborative, is building a larger childcare facility there, along with 60 units of affordable housing. (Derek Davis/Staff Photographer) Congress this week passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a massive bill that aims to improve housing affordability, boost inventory and encourage home ownership. It’s the first significant housing legislation passed in over 30 years and Maine housing experts say its broad bipartisan support is proof that the federal government has finally realized what they’ve been saying for years: the housing crisis has become untenable. “Nobody can deny anymore that housing is the number one issue affecting Americans, affecting Mainers,” said Aaron Chadbourne, broker and owner of Demetria Real Estate in Gorham. The nearly 60 individual provisions included in the bill touch on many areas Maine policy has zeroed in on in recent years, including [land-use and zoning regulations](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/05/05/how-a-landmark-2022-law-set-the-stage-for-increased-interest-in-adus-in-maine/), manufactured housing and affordable housing preservation. Related [Which housing bills will, won’t or might become law in Maine this year](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/20/what-housing-bills-will-wont-or-might-become-law-in-maine-this-year/) Dan Brennan, executive director of MaineHousing, said the bill combined many “wonderful” initiatives into a unique piece of legislation that’s “a big deal.” He’s proud, he said, to see so many pieces reflect work that Maine has undertaken in the last few years. Advertisement “It definitely complements the efforts we’ve already made,” Brennan said. All four members of Maine’s Congressional delegation voted in support of the bill. President Donald Trump, who has previously expressed support of the bill, [canceled a scheduled signing event](https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-republican-senators-968c1454ede461d2db413790670c07df) on Wednesday, saying he wouldn’t sign the legislation into law until Congress passes his elections bill. The president has 10 days to either sign or veto the bill or it becomes law without his signature. HOUSING PRESERVATION Many of the bill’s dozens of provisions focus on preserving the states’ existing housing — something particularly important in Maine, which has some of the oldest housing stock in the country. “We can’t afford to lose any existing affordable housing that we have,” said Liza Fleming-Ives, executive director of the Genesis Community Loan Fund. The package passed by lawmakers includes the Whole-Home Repairs Act, which would offer grants and forgivable loans to people trying to address home repair needs and health hazards to stabilize aging housing stock. Advertisement Another program would help people convert vacant and abandoned buildings into attainable housing. But the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, another piece of the package, could make the most substantial progress toward affordable housing preservation, Fleming-Ives said. The law would “decouple” rental assistance from mortgages tied to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service. Currently, there are thousands of families receiving rental assistance tied to roughly 7,600 apartments in rural Maine, according to Fleming-Ives. When those mortgages are paid off, the rental assistance for those units is canceled, but the bill would allow building owners to continue offering that help. The change would also help get those buildings under the purview of nonprofits and “mission-oriented owners,” Fleming-Ives said, “and protect the rental assistance that residents rely on in those properties to keep them affordable.” Advertisement MANUFACTURED HOUSING Mobile homes are often referred to as the country’s last “naturally occurring” affordable housing, and efforts to preserve that status have been increasing in recent years as private equity firms snap up parks once they hit the market and [raise the lot rents](https://www.pressherald.com/2025/03/23/maine-mobile-home-owners-are-pushing-back-against-private-investors/) for residents. The bill authorizes a grant program that would help support infrastructure investments for mobile home communities, as well as funding for [resident-owned park acquisition](https://www.pressherald.com/2025/06/12/maine-lawmakers-give-mobile-homeowners-a-leg-up-in-park-purchases/), according to Fleming-Ives. [](https://www.pressherald.com/2025/03/23/maine-mobile-home-owners-are-pushing-back-against-private-investors/) Related [Maine mobile home owners are pushing back against private investors](https://www.pressherald.com/2025/03/23/maine-mobile-home-owners-are-pushing-back-against-private-investors/) The question of “How do we protect residents of mobile home communities and ensure that those communities continue to be affordable?” has been top of mind for the Genesis Fund, Fleming-Ives said. The program is an important piece of the answer. The bill also updates the definition of “mobile home” to remove the requirement that the houses be built on permanent chassis, which could lower the overall cost by as much as $10,000. That may not seem like a ton of money, “but in terms of the level of affordability for people on lower incomes, that really adds up in terms of their mortgage capacity and their ability to afford their home,” said Laura Mitchell, the executive director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coaltion. It also opens up additional location and design opportunities, like adding a second floor. Advertisement NO ‘QUICK FIXES’ Some of the other provisions in the bill include: * Creating an innovation fund for communities increasing housing supply. * Giving added weight to grant applications for projects in [Opportunity Zones](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/30/is-portland-throwing-away-an-opportunity-zone/). * A directive for HUD to develop best practices for zoning and land-use policies. * Removing duplicative environmental reviews to streamline infill project approvals. * Adding new construction as an eligible use under the Community Development Block Grant. * A grant program to help communities establish preapproved housing designs to expedite local construction. * Limits on the purchase of single-family homes by institutional investors. Related [‘Buy America’ rule killing Maine affordable housing, developers say](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/03/12/buy-america-rule-killing-maine-affordable-housing-developers-say/) Mitchell noted that there are no “quick fixes” in the bill, which does not include funding for any of its regulatory changes. “Getting these programs funded is part of what’s going to make this come to fruition,” she said. But it’s an important first step. “And now the deeper work begins,” she said. Copy the Story Link Tagged: [federal government](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/federal-government/), [housing](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/housing/), [Housing crisis](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/housing-crisis/), [Maine housing](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/maine-housing/) [](https://www.pressherald.com/author/hannah-laclaire) [Hannah LaClaireStaff Writer](https://www.pressherald.com/author/hannah-laclaire) Hannah is the housing reporter at the Portland Press Herald, covering all aspects of Maine’s housing crisis - real estate and development, home ownership and rental issues and the lack of both affordability. [More by Hannah LaClaire](https://www.pressherald.com/author/hannah-laclaire)