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Bill would let Maine Redevelopment Land Bank help convert vacant schools into housing; sponsors seek $5 million fund

Joint Standing Committee on Housing and Economic Development · February 17, 2026

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Summary

LD2164 would create a statewide vacant school conversion program and a $5 million Maine School Conversion Fund to help municipalities with planning, hazardous-material abatement and capital gaps. The Land Bank and municipal officials urged support; questions focused on fund size, prioritization and ownership models.

Representative Tracy Geer presented LD2164 to establish a vacant school housing conversion program at the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority and to create a Maine School Conversion Fund to support planning, abatement and capital gaps for school-to-housing conversions.

Gabe Govan, director at Maine Redevelopment, said the Land Bank has piloted school-reuse planning and developed a toolkit; he told the committee that approximately two dozen former school properties are currently vacant statewide and that converting those facilities is time- and resource-intensive. "LD 21 64 provides a pragmatic response to these challenges," Govan said, noting eligible projects could include senior housing or missing-middle products developed to local needs.

Municipal and nonprofit witnesses, including Elizabeth Frasier (Maine Real Estate & Development Association) and Marj Kalkali (Legal Services for Maine Elders), urged passage to create affordable, locally-sited housing and to preserve community assets. Questions from lawmakers focused on where the proposed $5 million fund would be appropriated from, how many schools that funding could realistically help (staff estimated roughly 10— 15 projects as a planning-and-gap fund), and whether municipalities could retain ownership for public-purpose uses.

Maine Redevelopment staff said technical assistance would be provided from existing operating capacity; the requested fund is intended to cover planning, abatement and capital gaps to "get projects over the finish line" and to pair grants with existing federal and state programs. Committee members asked for examples and cost breakdowns for the work session; sponsors indicated they would seek supplemental appropriation or other funding sources during budget negotiations.