Q & A – Rent Stabilization Ordinance
Summary
The City of South Portland recently amended Chapter 12 (Housing) of the Code of
Ordinances to provide greater protections for renters in the City.
The amendments include the following policies:
1. Limit annual rent increases to 10% when the rental unit is one of 16 or
more units under common or affiliated ownership, with various
exemptions (The rent cap does not apply to owners of 15 or fewer units).
2. Require that all landlords provide additional written notice to tenants
disclosing the existence of the ordinance.
3. Extend the notice period to increase rent from 75 days to 90 days, and
provide tenants 30 days to respond to a proposed new rental agreement.
Additionally, the ordinance continues to require that landlords provide an
educational disclosure form written by the City to new tenants. That form is
available for download on the City website.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is rent now capped at no more than a 10% increase per year?
Answer: It depends on how many rental units are under the common or
affiliated ownership of the landlord. The City has exempted most rental
units owned by small proprietors from the cap on annual rent increases.
The ordinance primarily focuses on larger rental properties where a
decision to significantly increase rent could have an outsized effect on
the housing market potentially leading to widespread displacement.
www.southportland.org/residents/renter-information
2. Which rental units are exempt from the annual 10% rent cap?
Answer: The City has exempted the following categories of rental units
from the annual rent cap:
a. Any units whose owners and affiliates own less than 16 units
b. Any units built after May 27, 2023