3 old courthouses in a pricey part of Maine will become housing

Gov. Janet Mills is proposing to transform three former York county courthouses into housing, something that would be a first for Maine.

Last year, York County consolidated four courthouse buildings in Alfred, Biddeford, Sanford and York into one Biddeford judicial center. That has led the Democratic governor to submit a hasty bill that would turn three of those vacant spaces — all but the historic 1807 one in Alfred that is still in use as a probate court — into housing projects.

At least 10,100 new housing units need to be built in York County by 2030 to meet current and future demand, a landmark October report found . Some of the state’s priciest communities are in the desirable region sandwiched between greater Portland and the Boston metro area.

“It’s a great idea,” Biddeford Mayor Marty Grohman said of redeveloping the downtown courthouse in his city.

Mills introduced the bill Monday with only a few weeks to go in this year’s legislative session. It would give MaineHousing, the state housing authority, and local housing authorities the first option to purchase these three courthouses and redevelop them into residences. All but one member of the Legislature’s housing panel endorsed the measure on Tuesday.

The bill does not specify what kind of housing the courthouses would be redeveloped into, or include any details such as how many units would be created or what the income limits might be on them. That would be decided after the properties are sold.

If approved, this would be the first time a Maine courthouse has been redeveloped into housing, Erik Jorgensen, director of governmental relations of MaineHousing, said.

“This will definitely require some out-of-the-box thinking by developers, but we’ve seen schools and city halls converted successfully into housing,” Jorgensen said. “It brings with it certain challenges in terms of converting spaces to fit.”

All three local housing authorities have indicated that they would acquire these courthouses and redevelop them if given the chance, Jorgensen said. If they choose not to purchase them, the properties would be sold either by taking competitive bids or at auction.

Redeveloping these courthouses would shore up a serious need in York County for more housing options. Demand is sky-high and inventory is seriously lacking, Grohman noted. The average home value is more than $450,000 in Biddeford, and there are no rental units up for grabs there for less than $1,200 a month, according to Zillow .

Grohman said he’s been fielding questions about what would become of the courthouse for a year, and he’d be glad to see it redeveloped as housing. Though the buildings are modern — Biddeford’s was built in 1998, Sanford’s in 2002 and York’s in 1988 — he echoed Jorgensen’s concerns that converting them to new uses may be complex.

Both Grohman and Sanford city manager Steven Buck think that the courthouses would be great senior housing as they’re located downtown within walking distance of essential services like stores, groceries, eateries and pharmacies. They agreed that it would free up needed starter homes for young families struggling for affordable options in southern Maine.

Diane Small, executive director of Sanford’s housing authority, testified Tuesday that the bill would align with its goals to repurpose and occupy vacant housing stock , adding buildings back onto the city’s tax roll and making the most out of existing inventory at a time of scarce options.

“By transforming these properties into residential units, we can provide much-needed housing solutions while revitalizing neighborhoods and fostering community development,” Small said.