Rent Board

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.