A rent increase can mean more than a few extra dollars each month for Maine renters. It can mean less money for a family, postponed plans, additional hours at work, or difficult choices about education and the future.
Among some immigrants interviewed for this story, housing concerns extend beyond rising rents. While some are dealing with higher monthly payments, others say their immigration status was raised while they were seeking housing or employment.
Their experiences reflect the financial pressures facing renters as housing and other living costs rise, as well as concerns about how immigration status may affect access to housing and economic opportunities.
“Our salaries don’t change”
In May, Ibrahim received a 90-day notice informing him that his rent would increase by between 8% and 10%. He said the explanation he receives each year is essentially the same: “Our expenses are going up.”
Ibrahim, a resident of South Portland who requested to be identified only by his first name, says he understands that landlords also face rising costs. But he said an annual increase of 8% to 10% puts significant pressure on tenants, particularly when their incomes do not increase at the same rate. “No one gets that same increase at work,” he said.
The increase may not fundamentally change Ibrahim’s family’s daily life, he said, but it will affect their budget. Plans such as a family vacation may have to be postponed.
The impact can be even greater for renters already struggling to manage basic expenses.
Fifi Mbuyi of Saco received a letter announcing a rent increase. A few days later, she received another letter saying there had been an error and that the increase would actually be higher. “I was really surprised,” she said.
Her concerns go beyond the amount of the increase. Mbuyi is troubled by what she sees as limited opportunities for tenants to challenge rent decisions. She said tenants are often simply informed of a new amount without their financial circumstances being taken into consideration.
She wants to better understand her rights as a tenant and how she can make her concerns heard. “We still have the right to understand,” she said.
Repeated increases are particularly difficult for Mbuyi to accept when, in her experience, the condition of some housing units has not improved. She pointed to aging units, peeling paint, old carpets, insects, and mold.
The combination of higher rent and unresolved maintenance concerns, she said, makes the increases even harder to accept.
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When rent threatens education
Gaston Keno of South Portland said he is facing a different consequence of rising housing costs: pressure on his education.
As a student, he balances classes with a part-time job. He said he cannot simply work more hours to cover the increase because he also has to maintain his academic schedule.
His rent was already high compared with his income, Keno said. With the new increase, managing the cost of housing alongside his other bills has become increasingly difficult.
That leaves him facing a choice that extends well beyond his monthly budget. He has begun considering whether to continue his education or temporarily put his studies on hold so he can work more. A higher rent, in his case, could affect not only his housing situation but also his education and long-term plans. “My salary stays the same, but my expenses keep going up,” he said.
Keno’s experience illustrates how housing costs can affect other areas of a person’s life. At the same time, the rules governing some affordable housing programs are more complicated than the term “affordable” might suggest.
What MaineHousing says
Scott Thistle, MaineHousing’s communications director, said not all housing described as “affordable” operates under the same rules.
Under the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program (LIHTC), developers receive tax credits in exchange for agreeing to reserve a portion of their units for households whose incomes fall below certain thresholds. MaineHousing allocates the credits to eligible projects.
An apartment designated as affordable does not necessarily mean every tenant will pay only 30% of their income in rent. LIHTC rules establish income limits and maximum rents based on factors including the program, location, and household size. MaineHousing publishes those limits annually.
Thistle also said a household living in a rent-restricted unit can still spend more than 30% of its income on housing. That distinction matters for low-income households. A rent can be below the market rate and still represent a significant financial burden.
According to Thistle, some rents can also be increased within the limits allowed by the program, with MaineHousing approval and in accordance with federal requirements and local market conditions.
The rules provide limits, but they do not necessarily mean that every tenant will find a new rent affordable. For renters such as Ibrahim, Mbuyi, and Keno, that distinction matters because what is considered affordable under a program may not always feel affordable within a household’s monthly budget.
Housing costs, however, are not the only concern raised by some immigrants.
Another concern: Immigration status
For Dorcas, a resident of South Portland identified by her first name only, the difficulty came when she was trying to secure a home.
She said she found a property and had her application accepted online. She was scheduled to meet the landlord to complete the paperwork and sign a lease. When she arrived,, the landlord asked about her immigration status. After learning her status, the landlord refused to rent her the property. The experience was deeply upsetting, Dorcas said.
It also raised a broader concern about whether her immigration status could affect her ability to find housing. “How are we going to live in this country if even landlords start refusing to rent us homes because of our status?” she said. The issue, for Dorcas, was about whether she could feel secure while trying to establish a life in Maine.
“I had finally found a contract”
The experience of Ben Owondje, whose story involves employment rather than housing, raised similar concerns.
Owondje, from Scarborough, had recently started a cleaning business and secured a contract with a restaurant. He was scheduled to meet with the manager to begin the work.
During the meeting, the manager asked about his immigration status. Owondje said the manager decided not to give him the contract after learning his status. According to Owondje, the manager claimed he did not know how long Owondje would remain in the United States and that Owondje could potentially be deported.
The decision was difficult for Owondje, who had recently started his business. He had hoped the contract would help him grow his company and build a customer base. Losing the opportunity because of his immigration status left him deeply disappointed, he said.
Together, Dorcas and Owondje’s experiences broaden the story beyond rent increases. The uncertainty is not only about how much it costs to live in Maine, but also about whether immigrants can access the housing and economic opportunities they need to build stable lives.
Editor’s note: Amjambo Africa has chosen to use first names only for some of the immigrants interviewed in this story to protect their privacy.
