Brunswick adopts ordinance limiting mobile home park rent hikes

Brunswick’s town councilors Monday night approved an ordinance to curb rent increases at the town’s mobile home parks. Residents have long said that the price of living in Brunswick’s parks is becoming unsustainable, while services provided by landlords are falling behind. The new ordinance prohibits annual rent increases that exceed a certain affordability threshold, determined by the Northeast urban Consumer Price Index, without prior approval by a newly established five-member rent review board. Residents also will receive notice of any rent increases and rent board hearings. Mobile home tenants and landloards cannot serve on the board. The measure also outlines maintenance standards for parks and sets procedures for issuing violations to landlords. Brunswick’s resident-owned parks, which vote on their rent increases, will be exempt from the ordinance. The ordinance is set to take effect in September. In response to resident concerns, the council instituted a 180-day moratorium on lot rent increases in November 2025. The moratorium period was extended for another 180 days last month. In March, consultants hired by the town released the results of a study on Brunswick’s eight mobile home parks, concluding that residents are particularly vulnerable to rent increases and poor maintenance. The report highlighted Bay Bridge Estates residents as having the highest level of financial stress among Brunswick’s parks, and it pointed to hidden fees as a significant burden. There are more than 1,200 mobile home park lots in the town of Brunswick that are home to thousands of residents, most of whom fall at or below median income level, according to the town. Several park residents spoke in support of the ordinance Monday and thanked the Town Council and housing committee for their work. “It’s been a lot of work on everybody’s part, and this will help people in this neighborhood not to be terrified anymore. That’s big,” Bay Bridge resident Lori Centineo said. Council Chairperson Nathan McDonald said residents’ input was crucial in getting the ordinance to the finish line. “Your story matters, and making sure that your needs are being met as a community and that you feel safe and proud to be in Brunswick is a priority of mine,” he said. “I didn’t grow up in a mobile home park, but I did grow up in a mobile home, so I do have an affinity or experience with what that’s like, so I appreciate all of your advocacy that you’ve brought to this process.” Councilors passed the mobile home ordinance unanimously Monday night, receiving a round of applause from the audience. Residents of mobile home parks across Maine have been pushing back against rent increases in the past few years, many of them advocating for moratoriums and encouraging their towns to adopt rent stabilization ordinances. Last week, Arundel voters passed an ordinance at their annual town meeting with some protections for mobile home residents. Sanford established a similar appeals board to Brunswick’s in May and capped rent increases at either 3% of the current base rent or the most recent CPI increase, whichever is lower. Several other communities, including Old Orchard Beach and Waterville, have also passed caps on annual rent increases. The Times Record Sustaining Sponsor We believe a community must be informed to thrive. bowdoin.edu