Housing crisis: Who needs a task force when you have ChatGPT?

Other News: Famous mariner to operate MDI charter; more Jellison misinformation in SWH; Climate to Thrive calls out BDN; resident starts net zero housing business; NEH billionaire cools on DeSantis

NORTHEAST HARBOR, April 22, 2023 - As is with any writer who desires credibility in the age of AI, the QSJ consulted ChatGPT to seek the “best ways to combat the housing crisis.”

ChatGPT responded:

“Here are some ways that can help combat the housing crisis:

1. Increase affordable housing: One of the most effective ways to combat the housing crisis is to increase the supply of affordable housing. This can be done by providing incentives for developers to build affordable housing, investing in public housing programs, and creating more rent-controlled units.

2. Address zoning and land-use regulations: Many cities have zoning and land-use regulations that limit the construction of new housing, particularly affordable housing. Reforming these regulations can help increase the supply of housing and make it more affordable.

3. Increase funding for housing programs: Government agencies can provide funding for housing programs, such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or the Housing Choice Voucher Program. These programs provide assistance to low-income households to help them afford housing.

4. Encourage mixed-use development: Mixed-use development can help create more affordable housing by combining residential and commercial space. This can make housing more affordable by providing access to jobs, services, and amenities.

5. Provide housing assistance and counseling: Many people who are struggling to afford housing need assistance in navigating the housing market. Providing housing counseling and assistance can help these individuals find affordable housing options and understand their rights as tenants.

6. Increase public awareness: Raising public awareness about the housing crisis can help generate support for policy changes and increase funding for housing programs. This can be done through public education campaigns, media coverage, and community outreach.”

The response was silent on the issue of short-term rentals, so I asked another, more specific question, “How are cities battling Airbnb?” Here is what I got:

“Cities have taken a number of steps to combat Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms, in order to address concerns such as housing affordability, neighborhood disruption, and the negative impact on the hotel industry. Some of the ways cities are combatting Airbnb include:

1. Regulating short-term rentals: Cities are enacting laws and regulations that require hosts to register with the city, obtain permits, and pay taxes on their short-term rentals. Some cities also limit the number of days a unit can be rented out each year.

2. Enforcement: Cities are also increasing enforcement of short-term rental regulations, including fines for hosts who violate the rules.

3. Bans: Some cities have banned short-term rentals altogether in certain neighborhoods or zones.

4. Collaboration with Airbnb: Some cities have collaborated with Airbnb to develop regulations and collect taxes on short-term rentals.

5. Alternative housing strategies: Some cities are exploring alternative housing strategies, such as building affordable housing units or converting existing buildings into long-term rentals.”

The good news is that despite its clumsy, failed process to register short-term rentals, the town is actually in good stead on easing zoning barriers to stimulating demand.

Just as Bar Harbor is poised to enact four major land-use ordinances to ease restrictions at its June town meeting, Mount Desert is “actively looking at” similar opportunities, said Noel Musson, the consultant for the Land-use Zoning Ordinance Advisory Group.

“The town already has some good provisions which would allow for more housing development – the accessory dwelling unit provision, the two-family dwelling provision for example,” Musson stated in an email.

Other potential items include:

• Review of minimum lot area requirements – in some areas the minimum lot size could be reviewed to see if they are too big. (Parts of town require five acres to build a house).

• Allow for employee living quarters.

• Updated subdivision ordinance and improvements to the cluster and workforce housing provisions.

The LUZO group is doing with what it does best: Adjusting the town’s zoning ordinances to the winds of social and economic change with precision and research.

What it doesn’t do well is tackle large and amorphous problems like the town’s housing crisis.

Select member Martha Dudman pulled the alarm 18 months ago warning of the dramatic shift of affordability where even the town librarian can’t afford to live here year-round.

It took almost a year for the select board to respond, and then it did so in the most perfunctory manner, shunting the task to the LUZO committee without serious consideration of the magnitude of the problem and with only an assignment to drill down on the impact of short-term vacation rentals.

The select board is a transactional body eager to move items off its agenda - paying bills, appointing committee members and other house-keeping matters. It is a not a body attuned to the exigencies of a crisis where fewer and fewer front-line workers - cops, fire fighters, nurses, EMT responders, the heart of a community - are able to be neighbors. That doesn’t even include all the service workers who keep the town humming during the tourist season.

Select members boasted once that one meeting lasted only 32 minutes.

To me, that was not a badge of honor.

It showed a quickness to dispense agenda items - no matter the weight - to a convenient repository.

In August 2022, that repository was the LUZO group, the only committee of its type on MDI with no chair, and a consultant hired to manage the agenda with no defined structure, so that any member can overtake its agenda, as did the largest short-term rental agent in town when the consultant proposed to register all short-term vacation rentals with no clearly stated goal.

It was disclosed that one select board member and one planning board member owned vacation rentals but were allowed to participate by other members even though they had no authority to take such an action.

The process devolved into a free-for-all and LUZO committee member Katrina Carter, owner of said rental agency, actually appeared in front of the select board to oppose the recommendation of her own committee.

On April 3, the select board removed the proposed short-term licensing ordinance from consideration at the town meeting.

Now comes the Economic Development Committee, fresh off its enormously successful effort to gift the town an outdoor ice skating rink, to pressure the select board to create a task force on housing.

But is a small town run by volunteer boards equipped to handle such a task?

Bar Harbor, which has an entire professional planning department, hired RKG Associates to deliver the most comprehensive report on island housing ever done. Its relevance goes beyond just Bar Harbor. That town now has a document paid by taxpayers as the foundation for all future policies.

This town, which has the 16th largest tax base among the 483 Maine municipalities, certainly has the financial wherewithal to fund such a study. Huge amounts of data will be needed to bolster any proposed changes.

Reversing the hemmoraghing of year-round housing will be a major battle, perhaps the biggest one in town history, to determine its future. It will make the Main Street project look like a mere skirmish.

There will be winners and losers, especially if the town implements actions such as banning short-term rental businesses from residential zones or requiring proof of residency to operate vacation rentals.

And then there is the “nimby” crowd which already is fighting the handful of affordable housing proposed in the village.

I asked ChatGPT to tell me about “Mount Desert’s housing crisis.” It responded:

“Mount Desert Island is a popular tourist destination located off the coast of Maine, and like many other areas in Maine, it is facing a housing crisis. The housing crisis on Mount Desert Island is largely driven by the area's high demand for seasonal and vacation homes, which has driven up housing prices and made it difficult for year-round residents to find affordable housing.

One of the main challenges for year-round residents on Mount Desert Island is the lack of available rental units. Many property owners have converted their homes into vacation rentals, reducing the supply of year-round housing options. Additionally, the high cost of housing on the island has led many young people and families to move away, further exacerbating the shortage of available housing.

Another factor contributing to the housing crisis on Mount Desert Island is the limited availability of land for new construction. The island is largely protected by conservation laws and regulations, making it difficult for developers to build new housing units. This has led to a situation where the existing housing stock is aging and in need of significant renovations.

Somesville resident seeking to build net zero affordable homes

MOUNT DESERT - Environmental activist Caroline Pryor has started a business, Zero Energy Homes, to produce affordable, quality, net zero energy homes that are manufactured in Maine using 80 to 90 percent in local forest products.

ZERO ENERGY: CURRENT HOUSING NEED IN MAINE

”By producing as much electricity through solar panels (or share in a community solar farm), these homes, which are designed for low- and moderate-income residents, have no or low utility/heating bills. Even in northern latitudes. That means more income for other household priorities,” Pryor stated on her Linked-in page.

Credit: BrightBuilt Homes

“The homes will be produced in a modular manufacturing facility in the Katahdin Region of northern Maine, an area hard hit by mill closures over the past 15 years.

”The homes will be at affordable price points, with a range of designs from studio to 3 and 4 bedrooms. This is also an opportunity to rebuild the Katahdin Region workforce and economy.

”We're working to build the first home in early 2023 in East Millinocket as funding allows. It will be owned by Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness.

Other links:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VaCvFgxqG-TC1qgVkxCTBLklve23uVGR/view?usp=sharing

Building Community One Stick of Wood, One House at a Time - Mount Desert 365Building Community One Stick of Wood, One House at a Time - Mount Desert 365

MDI to host Maine’s “perfect’ mariner

LINDA GREENLAW

NORTHEAST HARBOR - One of Maine’s true living celebrities is going to call this island home for her charter business this summer.

Linda Greenlaw, who was featured in "The Perfect Storm," the best-seller which became a blockbuster movie, will be sharing the boat “Asticou” with owner Rick Savage, who is cutting back hours on his own charter business. Savage is the chair of the town harbor committee and is the seventh generation of a family which moved to the island in 1792.

Greenlaw has known Savage for years. Her husband Steve Wessel’s company, Wesmac Custom Boats in Surry, built the Asticou., she said.

The Asticou is licensed for 43 passengers, but Greenlaw said 30 passengers will allow for the best comfort. She’ll be doing nature cruises, sunset cruises, full moon cruises and star-gazing cruises where the boat will be out of view of any shore lights.

The select board this week approved extending lease of the town-owned ticket booth at the harbor to allow for the addition of LindaGreenLaw Charters.

This week, Greenlaw premiered on Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” as a crab fisher in the Bering Sea.

Greenlaw has written several books about her life as a fisherman, including "The Hungry Ocean" and "All Fishermen are Liars."

Greenlaw is also a public speaker and has appeared on various television programs, including "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America."

She is the only female swordfish boat captain operating within the waters off the East Coast.

She paid her way through college by working as a cook and a deckhand on the sword-fishing boat Walter Leeman. After graduating, Greenlaw continued working in the fishing industry, eventually becoming a captain in 1986.

She is most famous for captaining the Hannah Boden in October 1991 and warning fellow vessel the Andrea Gail about an impending storm which became a hurricane.

More misinformation from Jellisons on skating pond project

SOUTHWEST HARBOR - The Jellison family grievance tour took another lap this week with a volley of misinformation about the proposal to upgrade the town’s beloved skating pond.

Aimee Williams, sister of select member George Jellison, mailed a letter to some residents containing errors and contorted language so it was largely incomprehensible.

She did not use her full name, Aimee Jellison Williams, and did not identify she was Jellison’s sister, according to those who received the letter.

“It has become quite obvious the current members (select board) are in a learning process, and currently lack the knowledge and experience to be effective representatives of the taxpayers at this time … with the exception of one long-term selectman (4 terms/12 years),” Williams wrote without mentioning her brother by name as the only effective selectman.

She appeared to question how the proposal to accept donated land to upgrade Chris’s Pond landed on the town warrant without proper vetting, stating that a citizens petition requires a certain number of signatures.

But most items on the town warrant are not the result of citizen petitions.

“It would be in the best interest of the town to include the townspeople, as a whole community, and exercise total transparency in informational discussions,” she wrote.

Aimee Williams seemed to have forgotten that in May 2020, 104 voters attended a town meeting fully vetting the proposal and gave loud support for the Chris’s Pond project. There was not a single nay vote voiced.

The current item on the town warrant is the next logical step to that affirmative action from voters - to accept donation of the land so the project may move forward.

There will be an information meeting of the Conservation Commission Monday at 5:30 which will be on Zoom.

Island sustainability non-profit attacks BDN articles on solar

MOUNT DESERT - Johannah Blackman, executive director of A Climate to Thrive, called out the Bangor Daily News this week for its “inaccurate and biased” reporting on how solar energy is driving up electric rates.

In a letter to the “ACTT” community, Blackman wrote, “Recently, the Bangor Daily News has been running a series of articles all with the same general theme. These articles are all written by the BDN’s ‘environmental reporter’ Mehr Sher, and all center on the claim that solar energy is driving up electrical rates for all ratepayers. 

“At A Climate to Thrive, we have watched this series of articles, in which the same inaccurate and biased perspective is repackaged as journalism, with increasing concern. Our concerns include: 

1. The articles focus on a very small part of a large, complex topic and do so in a way that is purposefully misleading for anyone without a high degree of energy knowledge. 

2. By withholding critical information and failing to provide the full picture, the articles disempower readers. America’s transition away from fossil fuels, vital to preserving a livable future on this planet and also providing a better economic pathway (since many forms of renewable energy are now cheaper than fossil fuel energy), is a transition that holds significant benefits for all users of electricity, particularly depending on how that transition occurs. Accurately informed ratepayers are empowered ratepayers, able to advocate for solutions that will benefit them in their homes, cars, and communities. 

3. The articles have been released in a regular and repetitive manner that suggests a covert campaign, causing us to question where the articles are really coming from. (This suspicion has only been compounded by the fact that these are the only articles that the BDN’s “environmental reporter” has written about renewable energy, with none of her articles covering any renewable energy solution in a positive manner.) 

4. Additionally, ACTT has tried several times to reach out to Ms. Sher to share more balanced information that all readers, and all Mainers, should have access to in order to be empowered participants in the clean energy transition. Ms. Sher has never replied to our requests for a meeting.

The world is transitioning off fossil fuels. That transition is happening much too slowly, as the recent IPCC Synthesis Report tells us in a “final warning”.  Nonetheless, the transition is occurring. Anyone with any hope for the future of this planet and the life on it (whether driven by love for living children, ecological systems, or even economic interests) should hope this transition accelerates greatly in the coming years. 

How we make the transition also matters significantly. We can do so in a manner that better distributes retained earnings associated with energy, as opposed to concentrating that equity in the hands of a few fossil fuel tycoons. We can do so in a way that simultaneously builds energy resilience in the face of climate-related impacts like extreme weather, building distributed generation and storage. We can do so in a manner that rewards efficiency and lowers demand. Perhaps most importantly, we can make this transition in a way that builds shared knowledge and understanding, thereby empowering as many as possible to participate fully in the many benefits associated with the transition. 

At A Climate to Thrive, over the past seven years, we have learned a lot about the types of renewable energy solutions that bring these benefits and more to rural Maine communities. It is absolutely true that not all solar energy generation results in the same type of benefits to Maine communities. Ownership really matters, for example. When a large investor comes into the state and purchases or leases land to establish a large array, then turns around and sells the associated Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to a polluter while simultaneously selling subscriptions with a small monthly discount on energy bills (different from actual RECs, which are the way clean energy is accounted for), neither the clean energy credits (RECs) nor the lion’s share of the benefits stay in the local community. This is not to say that large-scale solar is bad; we need larger scale projects. But we need to understand the difference between that model and smaller, distributed projects that are responsibly sited with community participation and owned by the local community, with both the RECs and the economic benefits staying local. 

We also need to have a full understanding of what solar energy is actually doing to our electrical bills, especially in comparison to the impact continued reliance on fossil fuels and natural gas is having on those same bills and our climate. The BDN articles claim that solar generation has raised electrical bills around $4-$5 per month. This may be correct, or at least in the ballpark. Left unmentioned by BDN, however, is the fact that increasing natural gas costs have driven rates up by ~ $40-$50 per month. Furthermore, continued reliance on fossil fuels will lead to continued price increases, since those prices are dependent on global markets. Finally, Maine is seeing significant increases in electrical rates due to the cost to upgrade the utilities’ aging infrastructure, which has a long history of deferred maintenance. These factors drive up electricity costs, which in turn make solar more valuable, particularly to those who own solar generation.

In fact, and very importantly, the Governor’s Energy Office recently ordered a study on the impact of distributed energy generation on local electrical bills. This study, captured in the Governor's Energy Office Distributed Energy Stakeholder report, showed the benefits of distributed energy generation across the grid, including a significant reduction of distribution costs as well as other energy, capacity compliance, and environmental costs. Readers of the report will find that distributed energy projects like solar can lower energy costs for ratepayers across the state, not just those who own or subscribe.

Finally, the BDN fails to address the cost of doing nothing. Who loses the most if climate change is not addressed? What are the projected costs of infrastructure repairs and who will foot that bill? In Maine, these costs will disproportionately be carried by low and moderate-income ratepayers.

 At ACTT, we are focused on understanding the nuances of our energy systems and advocating for the types of solutions that truly benefit Mainers across the economic spectrum.  We are currently developing a model of cooperative solar ownership that removes the upfront cost barrier that can be prohibitive for low income community members to pursue solar power. We are focused on helping homeowners and small businesses reduce energy costs through our Comprehensive Building Solutions Program. We are helping our towns and local nonprofits develop locally-owned, responsibly-sited renewable energy projects, taking advantage of the incredible incentives now available through the Inflation Reduction Act. And, importantly, we are fully committed and work tirelessly to identify and share the comprehensive information needed to empower our communities with a full understanding of the complex energy story — not just one slice of it that stands to benefit a few, but the full story for the benefit of the full community.”

The QSJ forwarded Blackman’s statement to Dan MacLeod, manager editor of the BDN, and did not get a response.

DeSantis supporter (summer resident) cools on Florida governor

NORTHEAST HARBOR - One of the town’s summer billionaires made news this week.

Top Republican donor Thomas Peterffy told the Financial Times he is halting plans to finance the presidential bid of Florida governor Ron DeSantis because of his extreme positions on social issues.

“I have put myself on hold,” Peterffy, ranked the 57th richest person on earth with a net worth of $25.3 billion on Forbes 400, told the Financial Times.

“Because of his stance on abortion and book banning . . . myself, and a bunch of friends, are holding our powder dry.”

DeSantis has aimed to ban books dealing with sexual and LGBTQ themes from Florida schools and supported a ban on abortions after six weeks in the state. Peterffy told the FT he no longer believed that DeSantis had the same odds to unseat Donald Trump in the Republican primary than he did at the start of the year. “DeSantis seems to have lost some momentum.”

Peterffy, who founded digital trading platform Interactive Brokers, has long been a top Republican donor. In 2022, he gave $7.7 million to individual Republicans’ campaigns and to conservative political action committees, up from $7.2 million in 2020, according to OpenSecrets campaign finance data.

Some residents have registered their annoyance that Northeast Harbor has become the summer hub for political fund-raising. Last summer there were frequent protests of right-wing, dark money operative Leonard Leo at his home, 46 South Shore Road.

TRIBUTE: Staff Sgt. Drew Lewis DaGraca

SOUTHWEST HARBOR - Drew Lewis DaGraca, sadly, passed away on April 11, 2023, at the age of 28. He was born on Nov. 5, 1994, in Bar Harbor to John DaGraca and Stacy Lewis Martin.

He was a beloved first grandson on both sides to Papa and Bama Lewis and Junie and Joy DaGraca; the first-born child of Stacy, John and Crystal; big brother to his four younger siblings Sierra, Trey, Peyton and Lilah; husband to Alexandra and father of Xavier Lewis DaGraca.

Drew grew up in Southwest Harbor, surrounded by friends and family that he thought the world of. He was known for his infectious smile, contagious laugh and caring nature. As a 2013 graduate of MDI High School, he was known for his academic success and athletic abilities.

Staff Sgt. DaGraca was happy to help shape the lives of the nation’s sons and daughters. He enlisted in the United States Army in 2014. He was stationed in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Camp Ederle, Italy, before transferring to Fort Bragg, N.C., in 2017. Afterward, he was deployed to Iraq, where he served in Operation Inherent Resolve. Throughout his Army career, SSG DaGraca served in multiple positions and additional duties, including rifleman, Alpha Team leader, Bravo Team leader, squad leader and Weapon Squad leader in the 82nd Airborne Division. He was ultimately assigned to 1-31 FABN, 434TH FA BDE as a drill sergeant in 2021. Drew’s dedication and service to his country were recognized with countless honors, awards, medals and decorations.

While serving in the military, he built a life with his wife, Alexandra, who he met under impossible odds in North Carolina. Together, they welcomed their son Xavier, who is his greatest accomplishment. Some of their favorite memories included lying by the pool, hiking, reading books together, going to Disney World and experiencing every one of Xavier’s milestone moments.

Drew’s legacy will live on through his selflessness, courage and eternal love for his family and friends. He will be deeply missed by all.

A service for Drew will be held on April 29 at 1 p.m. at Timberland Acres Campground in Trenton. Immediately following, we will hold a celebration of life.

TRIBUTE: Robert Haraden

BAR HARBOR - Robert “Bob” Haraden passed on to his next adventure on April 2, 2023.

He was born June 10, 1922, in Bar Harbor and stayed here through high school. He never forgot his Maine roots and returned yearly for many years. Throughout his life he had one foot in Maine and one foot in the West claiming dual citizenship. After working for the Colt Firearms Co. at the start of WWII to save money to go to college, he spent one year at Northeastern University in Boston before joining the Navy where he was trained as an Electronic Technician. He served as a Radar Maintenance Technician in the South Pacific aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Gilbert Islands CVE 107 during WWII.

Following three and a half years in the Navy, he returned and married Adelaide Cleaves of Swarthmore, PA in 1946. They spent the next three years at the University of Maine where Bob earned his degree in Civil Engineering with certification as a Registered Professional Civil Engineer. He was a founding member of the American Society of Civil Engineers in Maine.

The next six years he worked as an Engineer with the Maine State Park System. His next adventure came when he joined the National Park Service in 1955 in its Design & Construction Office in Philadelphia, PA. Responsibilities included all design and construction in Parks in the eastern half of the country including the Caribbean where he worked on the initial planning for the newly established Virgin Islands National Park. The following assignment found Bob as the Chief Park Engineer at Rocky Mountain National Park in CO and later in the same position at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in CA.

A change in career direction came in 1967 when he became Assistant Superintendent at Grand Teton National Park in WY and later Superintendent at Natchez Trace Parkway in MS, AL, and TN. During this assignment he helped establish the Gulf Islands National Seashore along the coasts of MS and FL. After an Assistant Superintendency in Yellowstone National Park, he became Superintendent of Big Bend National Park in TX then finally at Glacier National Park, MT from where he retired in 1986.

While at Glacier he traveled to India to join an advisory team to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi regarding the establishment of the Biosphere Reserves. In 1982 he received the Interior Department Meritorious Service Award and in 1985 the National Park and Conservation Association Stephen T. Mather award for outstanding stewardship of the National Parks. Bob especially cherished this recognition since the nomination came from Glacier Park employees.

Retirement years were spent in Bozeman, MT with summers at their cabin at Seeley Lake, MT, foreign travel, and an annual fall trip back home to Maine.

He was a member of Rotary Club for many years and had served on the Board of Trustees for the National Parks and Conservation Assoc., the Southwest Parks and Monuments Assoc., and the Christian Ministry in the National Parks. In addition to volunteer work at Yellowstone National Park, Bob also helped with the Bozeman Senior Center, the Eagle Mount Cross Country Ski Program, and Meals on Wheels. During the last 4 years, Bob and his family have appreciated the staff at Wyndstone Assisted Living for their excellent care.

He was preceded in death by Adelaide, his wife of 71 years, their infant son Ricky, and his brother Gerard and wife, Jane. Survivors include son, Carl, of Bozeman, MT, son Stephen and wife, Linda of Billings, MT, and son Peter and wife, Cara Lee of Pendleton, OR where Peter works for the US Forest Service as a hydrologist. Additional survivors include nine grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren as well as two nephews Tom and Jim.

A memorial service will be held at Hope Lutheran Church Bozeman on May 27, 2 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 West Graf, Bozeman, MT, A Christian Ministry in the National Parks, 9250 East Castilla Avenue, Suite 203, Greenwood Village, CO 80112, The Employees and Alumni Assoc. of the National Park Service, Educational Fund, 470 Maryland Drive, Suite 1, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Ashes will be put to rest near Adelaide’s in Yellowstone National Park.