Maine Senate candidate calls for state takeover of mobile home parks

Troy Jackson, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate in Maine, told residents of Blueberry Ridge Mobile Village that the government should have the authority to assume control of private mobile home parks when landlords act irresponsibly. He cited steep rent hikes, poor maintenance, and the threat of private-equity investors as reasons for state intervention, likening his stance to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s aggressive housing agenda in New York City.

Jackson, who previously received endorsement from the Democratic Socialists of America, also shared his own background of living in a mobile home park in Aroostook County. Critics, including retired Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer and the Republican National Committee, condemned the proposal as an overreach. Maine law already provides a limited right of first refusal for residents when a park is sold, but Jackson’s comments push for broader state powers. The controversy has heightened debate over housing policy ahead of the Senate race.