Housing is quickly becoming one of the defining issues of Maine’s 2026 governor’s race, with candidates putting greater emphasis on building more homes and speeding up the approval process as affordability remains a major concern across the state.

The issue gained new attention this week as gubernatorial candidates discussed their housing priorities with industry leaders and advocates. A recent survey from the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition found that 80% of Mainers believe Maine does not have enough homes that the average person can afford to buy or rent.

For developers, the challenge is not simply a lack of demand. Maine has plenty of people looking for housing. The bigger problem is how difficult and expensive it can be to turn proposed developments into completed homes.

Permitting delays, zoning requirements, infrastructure limitations, construction costs and financing expenses can all add time and money to a project. Those additional costs ultimately affect the price of new homes and apartments, making it harder to produce housing that is affordable to Maine residents.

The candidates are offering different solutions, but faster development has become a common theme. Proposals include reviewing regulations that slow construction, establishing more predictable permitting timelines, increasing state investment in housing and encouraging alternative construction methods such as manufactured, modular and 3D-printed housing.

The timing is important because Maine has set an ambitious goal of adding approximately 80,000 new housing units by 2030. The state exceeded its 2025 housing-production target, permitting roughly 7,500 new units, but production will need to increase significantly in the coming years to keep pace with the state's goals.

For Maine Realtors, this is more than an election-year policy debate. The decisions made by the next administration could directly influence the amount and type of housing that reaches the market.

More housing construction could eventually give buyers and renters additional choices and help ease some of the pressure created by limited inventory. At the same time, changes to zoning and permitting could create new opportunities for developers looking at multifamily housing, accessory dwelling units, subdivisions and redevelopment projects.

The challenge will be finding ways to accelerate construction without creating new problems for communities dealing with roads, schools, utilities and other infrastructure.

Maine's housing shortage has increasingly become an economic issue as well. Employers need housing for workers, communities need homes for families, and younger residents continue to face significant barriers to becoming homeowners.

With 80% of Mainers saying the state needs more affordable housing, the pressure on candidates to offer practical solutions is only increasing.

For the real estate industry, the message is becoming clear: Maine needs more homes, but the bigger question is how quickly the state can make it possible to build them. As the governor's race moves forward, housing policy will likely remain one of the most important issues for Realtors, builders, developers and communities across Maine.