Bowdoin mobile home rent stabilization vote ends in 50-50 deadlock

Bowdoin Town Meeting Ends in Tie, Cancels Rent‑Stabilization Ordinance for Mobile Home Parks

The special town meeting in Bowdoin, held Monday evening, concluded with a dead‑locked vote that prevented a new ordinance from limiting mobile‑home lot rent increases. More than 100 residents and town officials gathered in the town hall, only to end with a 50‑50 split that, under Robert’s Rules of Order, means the measure cannot pass or be considered again.

The proposed ordinance would have capped annual rent hikes at the consumer price index plus two percent and allowed only one increase per year. It also included provisions that would permit a landlord to raise rent above the limit if the renter could demonstrate that the funds were needed to address health or safety concerns or to improve the living conditions of the park.

The measure was introduced after a series of attempts by Bowdoin residents to regulate mobile‑home park rents. This is the third time the town has sought such an ordinance since 2024.

Debate in the Town Hall

The discussion was lively. Residents of the town’s three mobile‑home parks—Bowdoin Pines, Pinewood Acres, and Mountain View Estates—shared their experiences of rising rents. Mountain View Estates, which has been owned by New York‑based Phillips International since 2021, was cited as having the most dramatic increases. “I’ve seen my rent rise by $150 in just two years, and that’s more than my Social Security,” said Theresa Turgeon of Mountain View Estates. Turgeon added, “I own my home, but I’m a captive tenant. I thought buying a home would give me security in my old age, and that’s not true anymore.”

In contrast, residents of the locally owned Bowdoin Pines and Pinewood Acres parks spoke against the ordinance. Guy Lebida, an owner and resident of Bowdoin Pines, warned that rising costs would make it difficult to maintain the park if the ordinance took effect. “If this rent‑stabilization ordinance passes, it’s going to be tough to keep up with the park’s needs,” Lebida said.

Jerry Highfill, a Mountain View Estates resident, highlighted the difference between a local landlord and an out‑of‑state company. “I’ve spoken to people who live in Guy Lebida’s park, and they say he’s a good landlord and keeps the rents down,” Highfill said. He noted that residents of his own park must call an office in New York, a number that “rarely takes their calls.”

Michelle Ames, co‑owner of Pinewood Acres, said the ordinance would be unnecessary because state law already regulates mobile‑home lot rents. “The state already has a law that covers this,” she said.

Outcome and Aftermath

As the vote was counted, the tally reached 50 for and 50 against. A select board member reminded the room that a tie means the ordinance cannot pass. The meeting adjourned shortly thereafter, leaving the town’s mobile‑home residents with no new rent‑stabilization protection.

“I placed the odds of residents passing mobile‑home lot rent restrictions at 50‑50, and the vote proved exactly right,” said Iola Cook, who had been waiting in line to attend the meeting. “It was a tie, and that means the measure dies.”

The ordinance was the latest in a wave of similar measures adopted by other Maine towns, including Brunswick, Searsport, and Saco. Whether Bowdoin will attempt again next year remains to be seen, but for now, the town’s mobile‑home residents will have to continue dealing with the current rent‑increase practices of their landlords.