An Act To Prohibit the Imposition by Municipalities of General Restrictions on Rents and Rental Properties

Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §3007, sub-§7  is enacted to read:

Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §7051, sub-§11,  as amended by PL 2017, c. 3, §1, is further amended to read:

Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §7505  is enacted to read:

§ 7505.  Limitation on rental property regulation

The county commissioners may not adopt an ordinance that regulates the rent that may be charged for a rental property or that requires registration of or imposes fees specific to rental properties in the unorganized territory. Effective October 1, 2020, an ordinance adopted in violation of this section is void and unenforceable. For the purposes of this section, "rental property" means a building or part thereof rented for human habitation, including a mobile home, apartment or other structure, except rental property that is owned, operated, financed or subsidized by the Federal Government or State Government or a subdivision thereof; a federal or state agency; or a federal, state or local housing authority.

summary

This bill prohibits towns, cities, plantations, village corporations and counties providing municipal services in the unorganized territory of their county from adopting ordinances regulating the rent that may be charged for a rental property, requiring registration of rental properties or imposing fees specific to rental properties.