Portland needs a plan to arrest its further decline | Opinion

Portland City Council Candidate Calls for 5,000 New Housing Units and Reforms to School Funding and Public Safety

Portland, ME – March 2026 – Michael Todd Chretien, a former Spanish teacher at Deering High School and interpreter for the Multilingual Center, has announced a bold platform for his run for Portland City Council in District 5. His agenda focuses on addressing rising housing costs, restoring the city’s school budget, and improving safety for residents.

Chretien says he has spoken with more than 3,000 households in District 5 in the last three months and has heard similar complaints across the city. “If you feel like these problems are snowballing out of control, you’re not alone,” he told local reporters. The issues he cites include escalating rents, shrinking public‑school enrollment, ballooning property taxes, a sharp rise in traffic fatalities, and a spike in violent crime.

A 5‑Year Housing Plan

At the center of Chretien’s proposal is a plan to build 5,000 new housing units over the next five years. “We need rent control and an ‘all of the above’ approach to construction: market rate, social, workforce, senior and low‑income,” he said. The city’s population has grown at a rate not seen since the 1970s, and climate‑related migration is expected to accelerate that trend. Yet, Portland has added just over 5,000 residents in the past 25 years—an increase that has left its share of Maine’s population down from 8.4 % in 1950 to 5 % today, he explained, and threatens the city’s political clout in the state capital.

Chretien argues that new housing would broaden the tax base, attract workers, and bring more students into public schools, ultimately helping to reverse the city’s population decline.

Fixing the School‑Funding Formula

Maine allocates roughly 55 % of public‑school funding to towns. For the 2026‑27 school year, Portland received only 16 % of its rightful share from the state, Chretien noted. “Each percentage point represents $1.8 million,” he said. “If Portland got just 25 % of our rightful state allocation, that would mean an additional $16 million—more than covering inflation in the school district and allowing us to control property taxes.”

The candidate argues that additional state dollars would enable teachers to live in Portland, increase equity and access for the city’s diverse student body, and entice families to relocate to the area.

Prioritizing Public Safety

Chretien also stresses the need for safer streets and neighborhoods. He points out that about 12 % of Portland residents are newcomers to Maine and that the city has organized opposition to ICE operations. He urges a comprehensive Vision Zero strategy: slowing traffic, reducing congestion, making biking and walking safer, improving public transportation, and designing new housing with off‑street parking and sidewalks in mind. The city has already lost three lives this year, he said, underscoring the urgency of traffic‑related safety measures.

The candidate highlights services that have helped thousands of residents recover from substance use disorder and mental‑health crises. “Thousands of people have entered recovery, 400 families have transitioned from shelters to permanent homes, and countless teens, women, and LGBTQ individuals have escaped domestic violence,” he said. He calls for maintaining the needle‑exchange program, establishing a winter shelter, and expanding beds for families and low‑barrier shelters. District 5 already hosts the Homelessness Services Center, and Chretien says all districts must contribute.

To reduce needle waste near schools and parks, he proposes community clean‑up programs and expanded addiction and mental‑health services. He also suggests using Maine’s involuntary‑commitment authority for a small percentage of people who pose a danger, while expanding adult treatment and recovery courts.

The Bottom Line

Chretien’s platform, he says, “will put a lid on property taxes while maintaining critical services. More housing brings union construction jobs, funds for our schools, a larger workforce, and increases city revenue.” He concludes that city council needs a plan to build a better Portland, emphasizing that his proposals aim to restore the city’s political influence, stabilize its finances, and keep streets and schools safe for all residents.

The candidate’s campaign is scheduled to run through the upcoming election for Portland City Council, with the goal of addressing the challenges Portland faces while building a more inclusive and resilient community.