Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson said Maine should be able to take control of some privately owned mobile home parks whose landlords sharply raise rents or fail to maintain basic services, prompting Republicans to accuse him of supporting government seizure of private property.
Jackson made the remarks Sept. 5 during a campaign stop at Blueberry Ridge Mobile Village in Wells, where residents complained about rising lot rents, water problems and difficulty reaching the park’s out-of-state owner. Jackson, a former logger and longtime Maine Senate president, said conditions facing mobile-home residents are “like something I’ve never seen.”
“I feel strongly that, if needed, the state should be able to come in and take these places over,” Jackson told the gathering. “Some people will say that that’s insane. But until the people get the chance to start a co-op or whatever, there should be a way to hold these, so that you don’t see private-equity coming in and making the killing on these parks.”
Jackson portrayed the proposal as a temporary measure intended to protect residents until they could organize cooperatives. He did not offer a detailed mechanism for taking control of the properties or explain what standards would trigger state intervention.
Republicans quickly seized on the remarks, noted Fox News. The Republican National Committee circulated video of Jackson and paired it with an earlier clip of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani discussing the “abolition of private property.” The RNC declared: “Maine Democrat Troy Jackson calls for the government to SEIZE private property to make rent affordable” and “Democrats want to take your homes away from you.”
Residents at Blueberry Ridge said the park’s owner, Phillips International, has raised lot rents while failing to resolve longstanding water problems. One resident said her monthly rent increased from $435 to $625 over three years. The company did not respond to the Portland Press Herald’s request for comment.
Maine already gives residents an opportunity to purchase their mobile home parks when owners decide to sell. The state strengthened that protection last year by allowing residents to match a third-party offer, effectively giving them a right of first refusal. Residents of Hidden Circle Mobile Home Park in Jay recently used the law and state preservation funding to purchase the land beneath their 31 homes.
Jackson is challenging Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking a sixth term. Maine Democrats selected Jackson as their nominee in July after Graham Platner withdrew, making the contest one of the closely watched races that could help determine control of the Senate.
[READ MORE: Schumer’s Daughter Gets Sweet Gig]
