Committee asks DECD to study off-site construction, manufactured-housing market in LD 2229 letter

Representative Mark Mallon moved that LD 2229 be reported 'ought not to pass' accompanied by a committee letter directing the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to convene an inclusive stakeholder group to study the market opportunity for off-site construction and manufactured housing.

The letter will ask DECD to evaluate factory-production methods, workforce-development and alignment with licensing, certification and inspection processes required for scaling up manufactured and off-site construction production. Committee members asked the letter to explicitly include licensing agencies and to coordinate with the Maine Office of Community Affairs (MOCA) on related recodification and oversight work.

Representative Mallon's motion — described on the record as including the committee letter and study request — was seconded and brought to a roll-call vote. The clerk recorded the votes; the motion carried unanimously.

Members said the study would help the state assess workforce needs and regulatory alignment necessary to expand factory-built housing supply without prematurely imposing licensing changes. Staff and the committee will craft the final letter during language review and ensure agencies named in the directive are included.