Developer’s Toolkit

Affordable housing development doesn’t just happen with bricks and mortar — it starts with relationships, trust, and thoughtful community engagement. In today’s environment, even the best-designed housing proposals can face roadblocks if developers haven’t built strong local partnerships early. This toolkit offers practical strategies for housing developers working in Maine to engage town staff, community members, planning boards, and elected officials — before and during the approval process.

Tips for Building Community Support

1. Engage Community Members with Respect and Clarity

Affordable housing is often misunderstood. Many Mainers support housing in theory but worry about what it means in practice. Thoughtful engagement helps shift that dynamic.

• Host a community meeting or open house early in the process. Make it welcoming and informative — not just a presentation, but a conversation.
• Highlight local needs using data and stories. Show how your project meets a community challenge (like seniors needing to downsize or local workers commuting long distances).
• Anticipate concerns — traffic, school enrollment, aesthetics — and come prepared with facts and flexibility.
• Bring renderings, site plans, and visuals that help people see the project’s scale and design quality.
• Be transparent about funding sources and affordability terms. Avoid jargon.

Bring a local voice to the table — someone from the area who can speak to the need and potential impact of the housing.
Looking for more strategies? Check out this resource on building public support for affordable housing from Local Housing Solutions.

2. Start Early with Town Staff

Town staff — planners, code enforcement officers, economic development directors — are your first allies. Their insight into local policies, priorities, and processes is essential.

• Request a pre-application meeting to walk through your concept and understand local zoning and permitting.
• Ask about comprehensive plan goals and how your proposal might align.
• Inquire about past development proposals and lessons learned from the community’s response.
• Share your intentions early — including affordability levels, funding sources, and long-term stewardship.

Staff often guide developers behind the scenes — and help shape how a project is perceived by boards and the public.

3. Partner with the Planning Board

The planning board is your gatekeeper — and often where public opinions converge. Your approach here can make or break your project.

• Attend a preliminary review or workshop session before your formal submission. Boards appreciate early engagement and responsiveness.
• Tailor your narrative to the community’s comprehensive plan and planning goals.
• Provide clear documentation on traffic, stormwater, parking, and density — and address how you’ll meet or exceed requirements.
• Be prepared to make small design adjustments based on board feedback to demonstrate good faith.

Planning boards want to feel that they’re part of shaping a project — not just approving it. Invite collaboration.

4. Work with Town Councils and Elected Officials

Elected officials are responsive to constituents and concerned with long-term impacts.

• Schedule one-on-one meetings with council members early in the process.
• Frame your proposal as part of a shared vision for the community’s future — supporting economic vitality, sustainability, thriving neighborhoods, municipal staffing, and housing choice.
• Emphasize the local benefits: new investment, housing for workers, tax base growth, and long-term affordability.
• Where possible, engage supporters to speak at public hearings or submit letters — employers, school officials, residents.

Councilors may also be voting on zoning changes, TIF support, or funding contributions.

We’re Here to Help MAHC Members
MAHC can support members through the life cycle of a project. Whether you’re navigating a tough planning board, organizing a community event, or preparing for a council vote, we can provide sample materials, talking points, collateral, data, digital outreach, and connections. For example:

• Local Housing Needs Data
• Letters of Support Templates: Reach out to MAHC for examples from community leaders, nonprofits, and employers
• Zoning Reform Primer: Stay current on state-level changes like LD 2003 that may create new opportunities.
• Storytelling Guidance: Frame your project with heart and clarity — people connect to people, not floor plans.

Need support? Contact us to get connected with our team or fellow practitioners.
Let’s build more than homes, let’s build stronger communities, together.