Experts say easing building rules helped lower Charlotte rents

Housing experts highlighted Charlotte as an example of a city where rents have decreased due to more permissive building policies, according to WGME reporting from Maine.

Alex Horowitz of The Pew Charitable Trusts noted that real rents in Charlotte have dropped by double-digit percentages, attributing this to the city's efforts to make building easier.

In contrast, Maine faces a housing shortage with rising home and rent prices, partly because of restrictive zoning laws, building codes, and permitting processes that limit housing growth.

Horowitz explained that Maine's small household sizes would benefit from more multifamily homes, but only 20 percent of its housing stock is multifamily due to current regulations.

He suggested that relaxing zoning rules and building codes could help Maine build more affordable housing suited to its demographics, similar to what Charlotte has done.