Highlights From Policy Action 2025
Build Maine and GrowSmart Maine innovated a new process for engaging a broad statewide conversation, best described as public policy crowdsourcing. Learn about work that started in 2019, involving hundreds of people across the state, and the big policy moves from the 2025 session to improve built outcomes while reducing demand for development on rural lands.
Nancy Smith, GrowSmart Maine; Josh Caldwell, Natural Resources Council of Maine; Tara Kelly, Maine Preservation; Myles Smith, Mainers for Smarter Transportation
Build Maine and GrowSmart Maine innovated a new process for engaging a broad statewide conversation, best described as public policy crowdsourcing. Learn about work that started in 2019, involving hundreds of people across the state, and the big policy moves from the 2025 session to improve built outcomes while reducing demand for development on rural lands.
Unlocking Housing and the Financial Case for Putting it in the Right Place
Housing cannot be both a basic human need and right as well as a financial instrument on which the entire economy is built. Chris Allen will unpack what communities can do to combat the downsides of market based housing and how to create truly affordable options. He will also explore the financial argument for locating housing near service centers rather than on rural lands far from jobs centers.
Chris Allen | Strong Towns
Housing cannot be both a basic human need and right as well as a financial instrument on which the entire economy is built. Chris Allen will unpack what communities can do to combat the downsides of market based housing and how to create truly affordable options. He will also explore the financial argument for locating housing near service centers rather than on rural lands far from jobs centers.
Unlocking Housing - Lunch and Learn Discussion
This interactive session lead by Nancy Smith, with GrowSmart Maine, follows Chris Allen's presentation about Unlocking Housing. Smith invites the audience to explore policy ideas that promote housing in locations that work for Maine communities.
Nancy Smith | GrowSmart Maine
This interactive session lead by Nancy Smith, with GrowSmart Maine, follows Chris Allen's presentation about Unlocking Housing. Smith invites the audience to explore policy ideas that promote housing in locations that work for Maine communities.
Tom Low
Maine has a finite amount of time to determine whether we will learn from America’s costly suburban mistakes, or continue to erode our treasured way of life. The choice between farms vs. highways, vast uninterrupted timber forests vs. low density residential sprawl, NIMBYism in our downtowns vs. embracing development where we need it most, open roads vs. traffic choked arterials - these are all choices we will make, either through apathy and non-action or through intentional work to change our land use development system. Tom will share inspiration and the steps we must take to develop in a way that Mainers will in fact love.
Director | Civic by Design | Charlotte, North Carolina
Maine has a finite amount of time to determine whether we will learn from America’s costly suburban mistakes, or continue to erode our treasured way of life. The choice between farms vs. highways, vast uninterrupted timber forests vs. low density residential sprawl, NIMBYism in our downtowns vs. embracing development where we need it most, open roads vs. traffic choked arterials - these are all choices we will make, either through apathy and non-action or through intentional work to change our land use development system. Tom will share inspiration and the steps we must take to develop in a way that Mainers will in fact love.
Highlights From Policy Action 2023
Build Maine and GrowSmart Maine innovated a new process for engaging a broad statewide conversation, best described as public policy crowdsourcing. Learn about work that started in 2019, involving hundreds of people across the state, and the big policy moves from the 2023 session to improve built outcomes while reducing demand for development on rural lands.
Nancy Smith, GrowSmart Maine; Zoe Miller, Moving Maine Network; Josh Caldwell, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Tara Kelly, Maine Preservation; Representative Melanie Sachs; Representative Traci Gere
Build Maine and GrowSmart Maine innovated a new process for engaging a broad statewide conversation, best described as public policy crowdsourcing. Learn about work that started in 2019, involving hundreds of people across the state, and the big policy moves from the 2023 session to improve built outcomes while reducing demand for development on rural lands.