Saco council extends emergency moratorium on mobile-home lot rent increases to Feb. 13 after resident pleas

Residents of Blue Haven Mobile Home Park urged the Saco City Council on Dec. 15 to extend an emergency moratorium on lot‑rent increases and to pursue a longer, 180‑day pause while owners’ documents are examined. After hearing multiple public comments, the council amended a proposed 40‑day extension to 60 days and approved the emergency ordinance extension by a 6–0 roll‑call vote, moving the moratorium expiration to Feb. 13, 2026.

Cathy Dobbins, who said she lives at 28 Missouri Circle, urged council to “extend the current emergency moratorium another 60 days and begin looking at the process of enacting [a] 180 day moratorium,” saying residents had received a notice taped to doors and that owner communications contained “threats and intimidation, inaccurate and misleading information, and lack of transparency.” Several speakers described a lack of written documentation from park ownership and requested time for legal review and mediation.

Sarah Giles Gardner of 17 Pine Haven Street told council that a 180‑day moratorium would “give the residents, the council and the attorney time to clarify confusing contradictory statements we've received from park ownership,” and asked that owners be required to provide transparent documentation of expenses and ownership structure.

Councilors debated a staged approach. Interim City Administrator Prescott told the council that park owners had offered a verbal settlement at a recent town hall — an increase that would be credited 50% to residents for a year, with the full increase resuming later — and that owners would deliver the offer in writing. Councilor Johnston said the council could grant more time while retaining authority to repeal a moratorium if negotiations proceed, and he moved to amend the ordinance to a 60‑day extension to Feb. 13, 2026. The amendment and the final motion passed on unanimous roll calls.

Speakers at the meeting repeatedly raised financial impacts: one resident cited a proposed $145 monthly increase for some households and another attendee’s packet included a calculation the speakers said amounted to $302,400 (presented by residents as an aggregate impact across lots). Residents also questioned owner claims about low‑cost housing units, asserted that trees and road maintenance remain unaddressed, and said ownership information had not been clearly disclosed in communications.

Councilors noted legal constraints and options: Councilor Johnston referenced the city charter’s provisions on emergency extensions and said state law contemplates up to 180 days for moratoriums. City staff told the council that the short extension was intended to allow residents and owners 30 days to review the written offer, with the option to renew to reach a longer 180‑day period if mediation did not resolve outstanding issues.

The council approved the emergency ordinance extension (amended to 60 days) by roll call 6–0. The council also discussed the longer policy question of whether to pursue a permanent local rental‑increase ordinance for mobile‑home parks in Saco.

What’s next: the moratorium is now set to expire Feb. 13, 2026, unless the council acts again. Residents said they will continue to pursue mediation and legal review and asked the council to require clearer documentation from owners.