An Act Enabling Municipalities To Protect Tenants And Stabilize Rents

LD 1534 allows Maine municipalities to adopt local rent stabilization and tenant protection rules. It enables towns to set annual rent increase limits (capping increases at 5% or the local Consumer Price Index change, whichever is lower) and require "just cause" for evictions - meaning landlords must have specific reasons like nonpayment, lease violations, or criminal activity to evict a tenant. The law directly affects renters and landlords in participating municipalities, with exemptions for owner-occupied buildings (4 units or fewer), housing authority units, dormitories, and elderly care facilities. Municipalities adopting these rules must report annually to state housing authorities, but the bill does not override existing state or federal tenant protections.