Portland approved a record number of homes last year — but far fewer got built

Portland, Maine approved a record number of new housing permits in 2025, reports Hannah LaClaire in Portland Press Herald — but the number of new completed construction was much lower.

According to LaClaire, "Portland’s planning board approved 1,420 units last year, a city record and an almost 200% increase from the 477 approved the year before." However, that number was largely driven by a few "particularly large" proposals that accounted for 95% of the approved units. "Large-scale projects in the city have struggled to get off the ground in recent years, according to a recent Portland Press Herald analysis. In the last three years, there has been a marked increase in projects with 50 or more units that have pivoted to hotels, been withdrawn or placed on indefinite hold." By contrast, 2025 was one of the worst years for completions, with just 187 units added to the city's housing stock, down 68% from 2024. 

The article adds that Portland is still on track to meet its city and state goals for housing production. The city's comprehensive plan calls for building 2,557 new units by 2027. "Since 2017, the city has added 3,669 units, according to the report, surpassing the goal by almost 50%."

Recent zoning changes are making an impact on where new housing is built: "Of the completed units, the vast majority, 83%, were built off-peninsula, the greatest share in 15 years. In 2024, only 21% of the completed units were built off-peninsula."