Rent Board — Portland, ME
Date: 2025-11-12
Time: 17:30

RENT BOARD
 November 12, 2025
 5:30 PM

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II. ROLL CALL:

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 a. September 24, 2025 Minutes
 b. October 8, 2025 Minutes
IV. COMMUNICATIONS:
 Please note: Written public comment must be received via email
 (rentboard@portlandmaine.gov) by 12pm the day before the scheduled
 meeting. The subject line needs to read "Written Public Comment"
 33 State St Tenant Rights Complaint - Scheduling Request


V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

 a. Approval of Written Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law
 b. Rent Increase Application - Public Comment
 Owner: 56&58 Federal LLC, 104 East St, Carlisle, MA 01741
 Address: 58 Federal St, Unit 58-2
 CBL: 020-D-009-001
 c. Rent Increase Application - Public Comment
 Owner: Dennis Fuller, 3946 Easton Terr, Sarasota, FL 34238-2617
 Representative: Troy Hanna, 394 Meadow Rd, Durham, ME 04222
 Address: 489 Cumberland Ave, all 4 units
 CBL: 048-F-023-001
 d. Rent Increase Application - Public Comment
 Owner: The Fredricka Kapothanasis Testamentary Trust, 27 Running Brook Rd,
 Westbrook, ME 04092
 Representative: Kevin A. King, PO Box 695, Westbrook, ME 04098-0695
 Address: 218 Ocean Ave, Units 218, 220 & 222
 CBL: 140-B-015-001
 e. Rent Increase Application - Completeness Review
 Owner: Woodford Arms, Inc., PO Box 10563, Portland, ME 04104
 Address: 168-180 Woodford St, all 18 units
 CBL: 124-J-014-001 & 124-J-012-001
 f. Rent Increase Application - Public Comment
 Owner: Saunders Street Apartments LLC, 51 Belfield Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME
 04107
 Representative: Willard Bollenbach and Randi Bollenbach, 51 Belfield Rd,
 Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
 Address: 23 Saunders St, all 5 units
 CBL: 130-G-014-001
 g. Rent Increase Application - Completeness Review
 Owner: RSAA Properties LLC, PO Box 9, Greenwood, ME 04255
 Address: 118 Providence St, Units 188 & 120
 CBL: 425-I-010-001
 h. Rent Increase Application
 Owner: SPAR Inc., 82 Hanover St, Portland, ME 04101
 Owner's Representative: Caleb Normandeau with Port Property
 Address: 72 Park Ave, Units 1-12
 CBL: 048-B-008-001
 Type of Increase: Increased Housing Service Costs
 i. Rent Increase Application
 Owner: SPAR Inc., 82 Hanover St, Portland, ME 04101
 Owner's Representative: Caleb Normandeau with Port Property
 Address: 157 Grant St, Units 1-26
 CBL: 053-B-024-001
 Type of Increase: Increased Housing Service Costs
VI. Adjourn

Remote Rent Board Meeting Minutes - Held Via Zoom

Wednesday, November 12, 2025​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

II. Roll Call - 0:00:52

Matthew Lax, Tenant, District 1 - Chair
Matthew Walker, Tenant, District 2
Christopher “Buddy” Moore, Tenant, District 3
Rebecca Bolduc, Homeowner, District 4
Vacant, District 5
Anne-Laure Razat, Tenant, At-Large
Kristen Carreras, Landlord, At-Large

Staff present:
Dylan Orr, Rental Registration Coordinator
Benjamin Plante, Esq., Counsel for the Rent Board



III. Approval of Minutes - 0:01:25

 a.​ September 24, 2025 Minutes
 b.​ October 8, 2025 Minutes

0:01:41 - Anne-Laurie Razat moves to approve minutes. Seconded by Krisen Carreras. (6-0).
The motion passes.



IV. Communications - 0:02:23

 a.​ 33 State St Tenant Rights Complaint - Scheduling Request - 0:02:31



V. Unfinished Business

 a.​ Approval of Written Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law - 0:10:32

0:23:43 - Matthew Walker moves to approve 135 Sheridan Unit 102. Seconded by Anne-Laure
Razat. (6-0). The motion passes.​
​
0:25:30 - Krisen Carreras moves to approve 89 Spruce Street, 104 Forest Ave, 139 William
Street, and 202 Dartmouth Street. Seconded by Anne-Laure Razat. (6-0). The motion passes.​
 b.​ Rent Increase Application - Public Comment - 0:26:50
 Owner: 56 & 58 Federal LLC, 104 East St, Carlisle, MA 01741
 Property Address: 58 Federal St, Unit 58-2
 CBL: 020-D-009-001

0:32:10 - The property owner presents the application.

0:49:14 - Anne-Laure Razat moves to close public comment. Seconded by Kristen Carreras.
(6-0). The motion passes.

1:05:40 - Matthew Walker moves to reject the adjustment of Base Year and CPI adjustment.
Seconded by Christopher “Buddy” Moore. (5-1; Carreras votes no). The motion passes.

1:38:04 - Matthew Lax moves to approve an increase in the amount of $54.75. Seconded by
Kristen Carreras.

1:41:33 - Matthe Lax amends the previous motion to the amount of $46.41. Seconded by
Kristen Carreras. (4-2; Walker and Moore vote no). The motion passes.

 c.​ Rent Increase Application - Public Comment - 1:43:26
 Owner: Dennis Fuller, 3946 Easton Terr, Sarasota, FL 34238-2617
 Representative: Troy Hanna, 394 Meadow Rd, Durham, ME 04222
 Property Address: 489 Cumberland Ave, all 4 units
 CBL: 048-F-023-001

1:44:43 - A representative for the property, Troy Hanna, presents the application.

2:08:01 - Christopher “Buddy” Moore moves to close public comment. Seconded by Kristen
Carreras. (6-0). The motion passes.

2:19:01 - Matthew Walker moves to approve application for rent increase in an amount to be
determined. Seconded by Matthew Lax.

2:35:20 - Matthew Walker moves to adjust the capital improvement for the Base Year and the
Current Year to use the 8.7% interest and amortize 5 years for appliances and 10 years for
plumbing, resulting in Base Year 2019 at $2,968.83 and Current Year 2024 at $13,644.15
Seconded by Mattew Lax. (6-0). The motion passes.

2:42:43 - Rebecca Bolduc moves to disallow the amount stated in Section 13 for owner
performed labor as it does not meet the criteria set forth in the form. Seconded by Christopher
“Buddy” Moore. (4-2; Carreras & Lax vote no). The motion passes.

2:47:40 - Matthew Walker moves for $44,400 to be the Base Year rent based on registered
amounts from 2020 rather than $46,250. Seconded by Anne-Laure Razat. (6-0). The motion
passes.
2:56:50 - Kristen Carreras moves to keep the Professional Association Membership fee.
Seconded by Matthew Lax. (1-5; Lax, Walker, Moore, Razat, & Bolduc vote no). The motion fails.

3:02:05 - Anne-Laure Razat moves to remove Professional Association Membership fee.
Seconded by Matthew Walker. (5-1, Carreras votes no). The motion passes.

3:04:40 - Matthew Walker moves to include line item 10-1, $90 for background and credit
check. Seconded by Christopher “Buddy” Moore. (5-1; Matthew Lax no). The motion passes.

3:20:02 - Matthew Walker moves, based on the NOI form, to approve an increase rent of
$393.46 in each of these 4 units, and that amount should be reduced by whatever banked rent
is currently available. Seconded by Matthew Lax. (6-0). The motion passes.

3:29:45 - Anne-Laure Razat moves to, based on the approved $393.46 NOI for each unit and
the current banked rents for each unit, increase the banked rent for each unit as follows: Unit 1:
$393.16, Unit 2: $388.76, Unit 3: $320.11, Unit 4: $304.89. Seconded by Matthew Walker.
(6-0). The motion passes.

3:32:05 Matthew Lax moves to approve the rental application for the amount that has been
determined. (6-0). The motion passes.

3:34:00 through 3:39:00 - The Board takes a recess.

 d.​ Rent Increase Application - Public Comment - 3:39:28
 Owner: The Fredricka Kapothanasis Testamentary Trust, 27 Running Brook Rd,
 Westbrook, ME 04092
 Representative: Kevin A. King, PO Box 695, Westbrook, ME 04098-0695
 Property Address: 218 Ocean Ave, Units 218, 220 & 222
 CBL: 140-B-015-001

3:40:19 - The representatives present the application.

4:06:40 - Matthew Walker moves to close the public comment. Seconded by Christopher
“Buddy” Moore. (6-0). The motion passes.

4:07:35 - Matthew Walker moves to approve a rent increase amount to be determined.
Seconded by Matthew Lax.

4:20:30 - Matthew Walker moves that the application qualifies for major renovation and that the
adjustment to the Base Year rent is unnecessary. Seconded by Kristen Carreras (6-0). The
motion passes.

4:37:27 - Matthew Lax moves to strike expense worksheet Section 8 line items 3, 5, 6, and 7.
Seconded by Rebecca Bolduc. (6-0). The motion passes.
4:42:38 - Matthew Walker moves to adjust the basement repairs from the current year to the
base year and adjust the number from $200,000 to $107,735. Seconded by Kristen Carreras.
(6-0). The motion passes.

4:55:11 - Matthew Walker withdraws his motion from 4:07:35 to approve the rent increase
application for the property.

4:56:07 - Anne-Laure Razat moves in pursuant to Section 6-233(c) to approve the Base Rent
adjustment to $1,846.92 for each of the three units. Seconded by Matthew Lax. (6-0). The
motion passes.

5:12:49 - Matthew Lax moves that the increase is contingent on the applicant presenting
evidence of payment of the costs that have already been incurred. Seconded by Anne-Laure
Razat. (6-0). The motion passes.

5:16:13 - Matthew Walker moves that Board reserves the right to adjust the final Base Rent
adjustment if the landlord’s remaining anticipated construction costs are less than or exceeds
$13,500. Seconded by Matthew Lax. (6-0). The motion passes.

 e.​ Rent Increase Application - Completeness Review - See 5:25:39
 Owner: Woodford Arms, Inc., PO Box 10563, Portland, ME 04104
 Address: 168-180 Woodford St, all 18 units
 CBL: 124-J-014-001 & 124-J-012-001

 f.​ Rent Increase Application - Public Comment - See 5:25:39
 Owner: Saunders Street Apartments LLC, 51 Belfield Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME
 04107
 Representative: Willard Bollenbach and Randi Bollenbach, 51 Belfield Rd,
 Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
 Address: 23 Saunders St, all 5 units
 CBL: 130-G-014-001

 g.​ Rent Increase Application - Completeness Review - See 5:25:39
 Owner: RSAA Properties LLC, PO Box 9, Greenwood, ME 04255
 Address: 118 Providence St, Units 188 & 120
 CBL: 425-I-010-001

 h.​ Rent Increase Application - See 5:25:39
 Owner: SPAR Inc., 82 Hanover St, Portland, ME 04101
 Owner's Representative: Caleb Normandeau with Port Property
 Address: 72 Park Ave, Units 1-12
 CBL: 048-B-008-001
 Type of Increase: Increased Housing Service Costs
 i.​ Rent Increase Application - See 5:25:39
 Owner: SPAR Inc., 82 Hanover St, Portland, ME 04101
 Owner's Representative: Caleb Normandeau with Port Property
 Address: 157 Grant St, Units 1-26
 CBL: 053-B-024-001
 Type of Increase: Increased Housing Service Costs



VII. Adjourn

5:25:39 Anne-Laure Razat moves to adjourn. Seconded by Kristen Carreras. (6-0). The motion
passes. Pursuant to Article VII, Section 3 of the Rent Board’s Rules of Procedure, all remaining
agenda items are tabled to the next regular meeting.