Expand Access to Affordable Housing

Too many families in our region are being squeezed by rising rents, skyrocketing home prices, and a housing market that no longer works for working people. Younger generations who want to put down roots and buy a home are finding that the dream of homeownership is slipping further out of reach. At the same time, employers across Jay, Livermore, and Livermore Falls are struggling to retain workers because there simply aren’t enough affordable, quality places for them to live.

A big part of the problem is the lack of “missing middle” workforce housing — the duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and modest rentals that once formed the backbone of rural and small-town communities. Without these options, families are forced into long commutes, unstable housing, or leaving the area altogether. This hurts our economy, our schools, and the strength of our towns.

We are also seeing out-of-state companies buying up mobile home parks and drastically increasing lot rents, putting seniors, veterans, and working families at risk of losing the most affordable homes they have.

My priorities:

• Expand workforce housing by supporting developments that create affordable duplexes, triplexes, and other “missing middle” homes that fit the character of our towns.

• Protect renters by increasing transparency and fairness in the rental market and pushing back against sudden, predatory rent spikes.

• Support first-time homebuyers, especially young families, through down-payment assistance programs, starter home development, and zoning reforms that encourage attainable housing.

• Strengthen protections for mobile home parks so that corporate landlords cannot buy up our communities and price residents out of their homes.

• Partner with local employers to build housing solutions that help retain workers and keep our economy strong.

Every family deserves a stable, affordable place to call home — and our communities deserve thoughtful policies that keep housing attainable for the people who live and work here. I’m committed to delivering solutions that rebuild our housing ladder and strengthen our towns for the long term.