Housing & Land Use
Technical Services
Municipal leaders face a tough balancing act between addressing the housing shortage and preserving our region’s farms, fields and forests. The Greater Portland Council of Governments is here to help you! With existing and anticipated grant resources, we provide free and low-cost technical assistance to help member municipalities understand and meet the housing needs of their community.​
Reach out to our Economic Development Director, Paul Johnson, to discuss any of these services:
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INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
​Local Land Use Ordinance Review: GPCOG can review your municipality’s land use ordinances to identify barriers to quality development. We’ll consider your community’s values and housing goals to determine improvements.
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Municipally Owned Site Analysis: GPCOG can evaluate your municipally owned properties as opportunities for housing and mixed-use development. We’ll consider zoning restrictions, infrastructure needs, and environmental factors to identify potential approaches.
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Review Process Audit and Streamlining: GPCOG can audit your municipal review process, starting from the moment an applicant walks into town hall, all the way to certificate of occupancy. We’ll interview staff to identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and potential process improvements to streamline and simplify quality development.
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LOCAL CONTEXT
Housing Needs Assessment: GPCOG can conduct a comprehensive analysis of your community’s housing market -evaluating factors such as affordability, supply, demand, and demographic trends. By identifying gaps in housing variety, we help municipalities make informed, data-driven decisions to meet the evolving housing needs of residents.
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Cost-to-Serve Modeling: GPCOG can develop a detailed cost-to-serve model to assess the financial impacts of new housing developments on municipal services and infrastructure. We’ll analyze the costs of providing essential services—such as water, sewer, emergency response, and transportation—compared to expected tax revenue, so that your community can be confident in the fiscal sustainability of housing projects.
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Short Term Rental Tracking: Short Term Rental Tracking: GPCOG will provide a comprehensive short-term rental tracking solution to help municipalities identify, monitor and manage short-term rental activity in their community. Our software will enable you to easily identify and track the number, location, and compliance status of short-term rental properties, ensuring that they align with local zoning and regulatory requirements. ​
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community Engagement: GPCOG can design and facilitate inclusive community engagement processes that ensure housing development aligns with the needs and aspirations of your residents. We’ll organize public meetings, focus groups, surveys, and collaborative workshops with key stakeholders—residents, developers, and local advocacy groups—to foster transparent and effective dialogue around housing goals.
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Housing Advisory Committee Facilitation: GPCOG can help establish and manage a municipal Housing Advisory Committee (HAC) that guides housing policy and planning decisions. We’ll support the drafting and adoption of a charter, organize meetings, provide strategic advice, and facilitate collaboration among stakeholders to ensure that the committee’s efforts are focused on achieving your community’s housing objectives. ​
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