Time is Running Out to Protect Maine's Renters (RESOURCES)

The COVID-19 federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire on July 31. Many Mainers who risked eviction because they couldn’t pay their rent during the pandemic now face the devastating possibility of having to pay back any unpaid rent, long before the economy has recovered.

So what options are available to Maine renters? Unfortunately, the rules regarding evictions vary by county, and even by town. Rest assured, no Mainer will find their lease ended suddenly. Maine recently passed a law that requires landlords to include with eviction notices a straightforward letter about what the process entails, as well as options for legal assistance and rent relief.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Many states are taking bold steps to save renters from potential financial ruin, and Maine could join them.

California is preparing to launch the biggest rent forgiveness program in U.S. history. Governor Gavin Newsom has pledged to use over $5 billion of the state’s federal COVID-19 stimulus funds to help the state’s most vulnerable renters, forgiving 100 percent of rent for tenants make less than 80 percent of the median income where they live and can provide proof of financial hardship from the pandemic.

Minnesota’s legislature passed a housing budget bill this week that eases the burden of the moratorium’s end. Renters will have 15 weeks after the July 31 deadline to secure rental assistance, to be paid directly to landlords. Meanwhile, tenants who have claimed, but not yet received, rental assistance from the state will be protected from eviction through June 1, 2022. The Oregon legislature, meanwhile, passed a bill giving renters until February 2022 to complete their back rent payments.

Until the Legislature returns to session to address this crisis, there are resources available to help people keep their homes:

The Maine State Housing Authority offers an Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The program provides tenants with rental and utility relief payments. If you meet the program’s income limits (use this calculator), experienced unemployment or financial challenges during the pandemic, and you are at risk of losing your housing, you may be eligible for rent and utility assistance.

Additionally, Pine Tree Legal Associates is urging anyone receiving eviction notices to call their offices. They have created a comprehensive FAQ that can help you make sense of the eviction process and your options. PTLA hosts weekly eviction information sessions on Tuesday mornings, where you can learn more about the eviction process, your rights and responsibilities as a renter, your options for resolving your case, your possible defenses, and what happens when your case is over.

Every Mainer deserves the security of a roof overhead. Our leaders must ensure that no one loses access to safe and affordable housing.

Mills' prescription drug affordability vetoes hurt Mainers

Yesterday, Gov. Janet Mills vetoed two bills that would make prescription drugs more affordable for Mainers across the board.

Join us in calling on our lawmakers to do their part, and override these vetoes so that Mainers can afford their medication.

No one should have to choose between life-saving prescription drugs and dinner. No one should have to ration insulin because they can’t afford their co-pay. But right now, that’s the reality for too many Mainers.

With LD 1117 and LD 675, the Maine legislature passed two good, bipartisan bills that would lower the outrageous cost of prescriptions and save Mainers’ lives. But Gov. Janet Mills caved to Big Pharma special interests and vetoed these bills.

Call your lawmakers to tell them to override these vetoes!

Maine cannot wait for the federal government to take decisive action, and shouldn’t have to suffer to protect Big Pharma’s big profits. Our state has an obligation to protect its people, not the bottom line of big drug companies.

If you are outraged, call your state senator and state representative and urge them to stand up for Mainers and override these vetoes.

The Maine Legislature passes new worker protections

In Maine, far too many labor violations go unreported. Even when workers do report their employers for a violation, the state agencies that oversee these complaints are often lacking the capacity to manage them.

Maine workers deserve recourse against workplace violations, but right now, bad employers hold all the power. The good news is, that’s about to change.

LD 1711, “An Act To Enhance Enforcement of Employment Laws,” passed through the Maine Legislature. Introduced by Senate President Troy Jackson, this bill will expand who whistleblowers can turn to when they have allegations of workplace or employer misconduct. If the state declines to take up the matter, for capacity reasons or otherwise, this gives workers the ability to proceed with a case using a private attorney designated by the state.

This bill not only helps to clear the way for whistleblowers to come forward, it also will provide them the ability to circumvent forced arbitration agreements. These agreements prevent workers from going to the courts if they believe their rights have been violated in some way.

Forced arbitration agreements are becoming more common, with many larger corporations forcing workers to sign these upon their employment. Oftentimes, employees aren’t even sure of what they are signing – believing the paperwork is part of a typical onboarding process.

The state agencies that usually take up these cases aren’t bound by these abusive agreements. LD 1711 ensures that private attornies representing whistleblowers won’t be, either.

Maine has some of the hardest working people in the country, and they deserve to know that, should they ever feel unsafe or abused in their workplace, that they can seek help and get support.

We’re grateful for Senate President Jackson and the Maine State Legislature’s leadership in expanding whistleblower protections! LD 1711 now heads to Governor Mills’ desk to be signed into law, vetoed, or to go into effect without her signature.