An Act To Replace the Interagency Task Force on Homelessness and Housing Opportunities with the Statewide Homeless Council
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1678
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: EDMONDS, RICHARDSON, BROMLEY, DOW, BEAUDETTE, BLANCHETTE, FISCHER, RECTOR, SMITH, TARDY
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-L, 30-A MRSA §5046, 30-A MRSA §4722, 30-A MRSA §5002, 30-A MRSA §5023, 30-A MRSA §5053, 30-A MRSA §5054, 30-A MRSA §5055, 34-B MRSA §1221

Legislative Document 
No. 1678 
S.P.624 
In Senate, May 19, 2005 
An Act To Replace the Interagency Task Force on Homelessness 
and Housing Opportunities with the Statewide Homeless Council 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by President EDMONDS of Cumberland. (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Cosponsored by Speaker RICHARDSON of Brunswick and 
Senators: BROMLEY of Cumberland, DOW of Lincoln, Representatives: BEAUDETTE of 
Biddeford, BLANCHETTE of Bangor, FISCHER of Presque Isle, RECTOR of Thomaston, 
SMITH of Monmouth, TARDY of Newport. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
PART A 
Sec. A-I. 30-A MRSA c. 202, sub·c. 5, as amended, is repealed. 
Sec. A·2. 30·A MRSA c. 202, sub·c. 5·A is enacted to read: 
SUBCHAPTER S-A 
STATEKIDE HQ(gLESS COUNCIL 
§S046. 
Statewide Homeless Council created 
The Statewide Homeless CounciL established in accordance 
with Title 5, chapter 379, shall servLas an advisory commill~ 
with respect to the administration and implementation of this 
chapter to the state authority, the Governor and the Legislature. 
§S047. 
Membership: appointment: terms of office; chair 
1. 
Membership; chair. The council consists of 11 members 
appointed as follows: 
A. Six members appointed by the Governor, 2 from each of 3 
regional homeless councils, based on nominations provided by 
the 3 regional homeless councils; 
B. The Director of the Maine State Housing Authority; 
C. Three members appointed jointly by the President of the 
Senate and the Speaker of the House, 
one from each of 3 
regional homeless councils, based on nominations provided by 
the 3 regional homeless councils; and 
D. One member representing the Office of the Governor, who 
serves as the chair. 
2. 
Term of office. Members of the council appointed jointly 
by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House serve 
year terms amd serve at the pleasure of the President of the 
Senate and the Speaker of the House. 
Members of the council 
appointed by the Governor serve 2-year terms and serve at the 
pleasure of the Governor. 
A. 
Members serve until their successors are appointed and 
gualified. 
B. The appointing authoriti~all fill a vacancy for tM. 
balance of an unexpired term in the same manner as the 
Page l-LR2382(1) 
gp~tment was 
originally 
filled, 
except 
as 
otherwise 
provided. 
3. 
Staff. The state authority shall provide staff support 
to the counci I . 
§5048. 
Duties 
1'-h~G..QJJ:!lGil shall advise 
th!L_~_.tML..al1J:hority with reS.Qect to 
.th~ 
implementation 
of 
this 
chapter 
and 
the 
development 
of 
affordable housing. The council shall: 
1. 
Provide 
lea..d~~lihip. 
Provide leadership in efforts to 
~d homelessness and provide support to the regional homeless 
councils by ensuring access to senior-level government officials 
and the Office the Governor: 
... 
2~._~E(l..M~.tg. Deve],QP and coordinate an education campaign 
regarding homelessness: 
3. 
Serve 
as 
coordinator 
of 
information. 
Serve 
as 
a 
coordinator of information and communication among state agencies 
and among the state, municipal and private sectors with respect 
to this chapter. In carrying out this duty, the council shall: 
A. 
Review proposed legislative changes, system changes and 
resource recommendations from the regional homeless councils 
and compile the regional reports into a single statewide 
report: and 
B. 
Serve as a 
liQi~~n with the federal Interagency Council 
on Homeless and recommend any necessary changes; 
4. 
Assess statewide needs. 
With assistance from regional 
homeless councils, develop estimates of statewide resource needs: 
5. 
ldeAtify 
pote_:g,tii:tJ. __ 
:(eJ~Q.qrce~. 
Identify 
new 
funding 
opportunities through private and public sources and assist in 
disseminating this 
information 
to 
regional 
homeless 
councils 
along with available grant opportunities: 
6. 
~~istan.C~L.J;.Q_4.Q..1I!e_lelis. In 
coop~ion with the state. 
authority, 
identify 
the 
resources 
available 
to 
and 
ways 
to 
increase access to services to the homeless and persons with 
special needs, identify the gaps in delivery services to this 
QQPJ.llgtion~n~f!la~e_XecQr!lm.~n@tions concerning the policies and 
programs serving this population: and 
7. 
Review. monitor and implement plans. On an annual basis, 
review and comment on plans submitted pursuant to Title 34-B, 
section 1221, and propose amendments and updates to and implement 
a plan to end homelessness. 
Sec. A-3. Transition; completion of terms. 
Notwithstanding the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 5047, subsection 2, 
members of the Interagency Task Force on Homelessness and Housing 
Opportunities on the effective date of this Act continue to serve 
out the 
remainder of their 
terms 
on 
the Statewide 
Homeless 
Council as representatives of the regional homeless councils of 
which they are members. 
PARTB 
Sec. B-1. 5 MRSA §12004-L, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 
878, Pt. A, §19, is repealed. 
Sec. B-2. 5 MRSA §12004-L, sub-§13 is enacted to read: 
13. 
Statewide 
Homeless Council 
Not 
Authorized 
30-A MRSA §5046 
Sec. B-3. 30-A MRSA §4722, sub-§l, tv, as amended by PL 1993, 
c. 359, Pt. B, §2, is further amended to read: 
U. 
Consult with the *B~eFa~eBey-~~~k-~~~~a-W9melessBess 
aBQ--He~5iB~--~~~~~~--~-~~--~a--eaa~~eF--6Q6T 
see~~eR---&QQ6 
Statewide 
Homeless 
Council, 
established 
pursuant to Title 30-A, section 5046, with respect to the 
implementation of housing programs to make the best use of 
resources and make the greatest impact on the affordable 
housing crisis; 
Sec. B-4. 30-A MRSA §5002, sub-§4-A is enacted to read: 
4-A. 
Council. 
"Council" 
means 
the 
Statewide 
Homeless 
Council. 
Sec. B-5. 30-A MRSA §5002, sub-§9, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 
601, Pt. B, §4, is repealed. 
Sec. B-6. 30-A MRSA §5023, sub-§10, as amended by PL 1991, c. 
610, §16, is further amended to read: 
10. 
Consult with council. 
Consult with the 
~B~eFa~eBey 
~a6k--kFee council with respect to the implementation of this 
subchapter and the projects to be funded under this subchapter. 
Sec. B·7. 30·A MRSA §5031. sub·§l, as amended by PL 1991, c. 
610, §17, is further amended to read: 
1. 
Consultation. 
The state authority 
the 
iReef'a~eRey---t-a-s*---fef'ee 
council 
with 
implementation of this subchapter. 
shall consult with 
respect 
to 
the 
Sec. B·8. 30·A MRSA §5051, as amended by PL 1991, c. 610, 
§21, is further amended to read: 
§5051. Administration and implementation 
The state authority, in consu1tat.ion with the 
iReef'a~eRey 
easlf-.fef'ee council, shall administer this subchapter to address 
residential deteriorating areas and to restore these areas to 
decent, sanitary and safe residential neighborhoods. 
Sec. B·9. 30·A MRSA §5052, first 1[, as amended by PL 1991, c. 
610, §21, is further amended to read: 
The state authority, in consultation with the 
iReef'a~eRey 
eask--.fef'ee 
council, 
may 
establish 
demonstration 
housing 
opportunity zones, each comprised of a different municipality or 
portion of a municipality. 
These demonstration zones serve as a 
means 
of 
determining 
the 
effectiveness 
of 
zones 
as 
a 
tool 
stimulating 
residential 
revitalization 
in 
deteriorating 
neighborhoods. 
Sec. B·I0. 30-A MRSA §5053, first 1[, as amended by PL 1991, c. 
610, §21, is further amended to read: 
The state authority, in consultation with the 
iReef'a~eRey 
eask-fef'ee council, may: 
Sec. B·11. 30·A MRSA §5054, sub·§l, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 
601, Pt. B, §4, is amended to read: 
1. 
Work with council. 
Work with the iReef'a~eRey-eask-fef'ee 
!,;.Q~ and the Commissioner of Public Safety to coordinate the 
resources 
of 
state 
agencies 
to 
be 
applied 
to 
the 
zones L 
including, but not limited to: 
A. 
Job training programs; 
B. 
Educational and vocational training; 
C. 
Child care assistance; and 
D. 
Crime prevention programs; 
Sec. B-12. 30-A MRSA §5054, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1991, c. 
610, §23, is further amended to read: 
5. 
Analyze problems and causes of problems that create 
residential 
bliqht. 
In 
implementing 
this 
subsection, 
the 
iR~eFa~eR~y-~~--fe~ee council and the state authority shall 
monitor 
the 
demonstration 
zones 
and 
develop 
findings 
and 
recommendations 
concerning 
neighborhood 
deterioration 
and 
revitalization: and 
Sec. B-13. 30-A MRSA §5055, first 1[, as amended by PL 1991, c. 
871, §6, is further amended to read: 
The state authority and the 
iR~e~a~eR€y-~-as*--~e~ee council 
shall develop models 
for 
the revitalization of deteriorating 
residential areas in urban areas based on the results of the 
study and monitoring of the demonstration zones as provided in 
section 5052. 
The state authority and the iR~eFa~esey-~as*-fe~ee 
council shall review and evaluate the plans and programs applied 
to the demonstration zones and report their preliminary findings 
and 
recommendations 
to 
the 
Governor 
and 
the 
joint 
standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing 
matters by December 30, 1992 and December 30, 1993, with a final 
report to be submitted by December 30, 1994. 
This final report 
must include: 
Sec. B-14. 34-B MRSA §1221, first 1[, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 
643, Pt. XX, §4, is amended to read: 
The 
regional 
housing 
coordinator 
for 
each 
region 
shall 
convene a working group annually to develop a plan that states 
how 
mental 
health 
or 
substance 
abuse 
services 
needed 
by 
individuals 
using 
homeless 
shelters 
will 
be 
provided. 
Each 
working group shall submit a plan annually to the local quality 
improvement council established pursuant to section 3607. 
The 
local quality improvement 
council shall 
review the plan 
and 
submi tit, with any suggested changes, to the 
~R~eF-~e-ae-y-~ask 
~e~ee--~--H9me~&&&e&&--~~4--~~--Qppe~~~Ri~ies 
Statewide 
Homeless Council, established pursuant to Title 30-A, 
section 
a 9 u 
.5.Q1.Q. 
SUMMARY 
Part A of this bill replaces the Interagency Task Force on 
Homelessness 
and 
Housing 
Opportunities 
with 
the 
Statewide 
Homeless 
Council, 
whose 
membership 
is 
designed 
to 
better 
coordinate 
and establish statewide policies 
on 
homelessness. 
This bill specifies that current members of the Interagency Task 
Force on 
out the 
regional 
Homelessness and Housing Opportunities continue 
remainder of their 
terms 
as 
representatives 
homeless councils of which they are members. 
to serve 
of 
the 
Part 
B 
of 
this 
bill 
corrects 
cross-references 
to 
the 
Interagency Task Force on Homelessness and Housing Opportunities.