As many of us gather together this week to enjoy good food and good company, I’m reminded of how much has changed over the past three years and how fortunate I am to be able to enjoy a meal, surrounded by my family. Personally, I have much to be grateful for this year, including the birth of a new grandchild, feeling comfortable traveling again and the good health of family and friends.
I’m also incredibly thankful to you, the voters of House District 109, for electing me as your State Representative for the upcoming 131st Legislature. Serving our community has been a deeply rewarding experience and I am honored to be able to continue.
If I have the pleasure of serving on the Environment and Natural Resources Committee again this session, I will continue to work on legislation to help further our state’s climate goals by protecting our natural resources and embracing more green energy sources. Last session, much of our work focused on understanding and mitigating the negative impacts of PFAS chemicals on our health, the environment and local economies. As we continue to learn more, I will remain engaged and committed to doing everything we can to keep Mainers safe.
During the next two years, I’m also looking forward to helping many of you navigate your state government. Hearing from you is the best way for me to effectively represent your interests, concerns and hopes in Augusta. Whether it’s working with folks to access needed resources or collaborating with community members to understand and implement policies and programs adopted on the state level, acting as a resource for you is a critical part of my job.
One policy that I hope to help our community navigate in the coming months stems from a bill that my colleagues and I passed last session. LD 2003 seeks to address our state’s housing crisis by helping make small, affordable homes more available in Maine, expanding housing options. As a result of this bill, individuals who live in areas zoned for single-family use can turn those homes into two units, including by adding an accessory dwelling unit or an in-law apartment.
Increasing the housing stock will make a big difference for young Mainers looking to buy their first homes and older Mainers hoping to downsize. In addition, this bill returns control of housing development to those it will most directly impact: you! It honors local rules and regulations while providing an opportunity for homeowners to make use of their extra land, garage or newly vacant space as young people grow up and move out of the house.
This policy is extremely promising in terms of making a difference for the state-wide housing shortage, but I recognize that different towns have different perspectives on its value and usefulness. Here in HD 109, we have seen an influx of new residents as housing prices in metropolitan areas like Portland continue to rise, pushing folks out. As your representative, I hope to work with local residents and planners to find solutions to this difficult reality, including by acting as a liaison between our community and the state. In particular, the Department of Economic and Community Development, tasked with administering pieces of this law, will soon have final guidance and grant applications available for communities who are interested in securing financial and technical assistance. I intend to be a resource for Gorham residents as we continue to navigate these population shifts and the new housing needs associated with them.
As always, if you have questions, concerns or ideas about these topics or any others, please reach out to me. This year, one of the things I am most thankful is that I have the opportunity to again represent our district. Thank you for choosing me to be your voice in Augusta.
Rep. Jim Boyle, D-Gorham, is serving his first term in the Maine House of Representatives and previously served two years in the Maine State Senate. He is a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Contact him at James.Boyle@legislature.maine.gov.