As Eviction Courts Resume In Portland, Some Fear The Worst Is Yet To Come

PORTLAND, Maine — Landlords in Cumberland County have filed to evict 72 tenants since pandemic restrictions began in mid-March, but housing officials fear a catastrophic “tidal wave” of displacements in the near future if Congress doesn’t provide relief for troubled renters soon. “We are very nervous about how this plays out,” said Greg Payne, executive director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, a group of agencies and developers who work to secure affordable housing for Mainers. Maine’s eviction courts are remotely hearing backlogged eviction cases through Sep.