The BDN is exploring Maine’s housing crisis from every possible angle, from how it affects home prices, to what it means for Mainers across the state. Read our ongoing coverage here and fill out this form to tell us what you want to know. Business has recovered to pre-pandemic levels for many companies in Maine and tourism is expected to surge this summer, but higher costs and worker shortages are making it harder for small businesses to pay rent. Some 40 percent of small businesses surveyed in Maine did not pay rent in full or on time in May, up 15 percentage points from April and higher than the national average of 35 percent, according to a study released Wednesday by Alignable, a Massachusetts-based online referral network for small business owners.