An Act To Restructure the Board of Commissioners of the Maine State Housing Authority To Closely Match Local Authorities
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0441
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: HOBBINS, BERUBE, DOW, SCHNEIDER, AUSTIN, BEAUDETTE, BEAULIEU, RECTOR
Amends: 30-A MRSA §4723

Legislative Document 
No. 441 
S.P.142 
January 29, 2007 
An Act To Restructure the Board of Commissioners of the Maine 
State Housing Authority To Closely Match Local Authorities 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator HOBBINS of York. 
Cosponsored by Representative BERUBE of Lisbon and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: DOW of Lincoln, SCHNEIDER of Penobscot, Representatives: AUSTIN of Gray, 
BEAUDETTE of Biddeford, BEAULIEU of Auburn, RECTOR of Thomaston. 
Primed on rel.:ycled papt:r 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §4723, suh-§2,~, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 
and Pt. C, §106 and amended by PL 1989, c. 6; c. 9, §2; and c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is 
further amended to read: 
B. 
The Maine State Housing Authority, as authorized by Title 5, chapter 379, sJ:wH.l 
must have + 2. commissioners.,41 of whom sJ:wH.l must be appointed by the Governor, 
subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over economic development, and to confirmation by the Legislature. The 
6th 8th commissioner is the Treasurer of State~ who sHall serve serves ex officio. The 
Treasurer of State may designate the Deputy Treasurer of State to serve in place of 
the Treasurer of State. The +tR 9th commissioner is the director of the Maine State 
Housing Authority~ who sHall ser'le serves ex officio, aRa WHO is eHaiFfHafl of tHe 
l3 
eOFAfHissioRers. The Governor shall appoint the chair of the commissioners from 
among the 7 commissioners. The ~ 1 gubernatorial appointments must include, but 
are not limited to, representatives of bankers and of lew ifleOfHe or elderly people and 
at least 2 representatives of low-income people. 
One commissioner must be a 
resident of housing wRieft that is subsidized or assisted by programs of the United 
States Department of Housing and Urban Development or of the Maine State 
Housing Authority. In making this appointment, the Governor shall give priority 
consideration to nominations that may be made by tenant associations established in 
the State. 
The commissioners shall elect a yiee eHaiFfHaR vice-chair of the commissioners from 
among their number. The commissioners of the Maine State Housing Authority shall 
establish and revise from time to time policies of the Maine State Housing Authority 
relating to the following particular matters: 
(1) Standards of issuing, servicing and redeeming bonds; 
(2) Purchase, sale or commitment to purchase mortgages or notes; 
(3) Initiating project construction and accepting properly completed facilities; 
(4) Setting and establishing selection and evaluation standards, criteria and 
procedures under which it will purchase, sell or agree to purchase loans, notes or 
obligations, having regard among other things to: 
(a) Property values; 
(b) Local economic conditions and expectancy; 
(c) Credit and employment; and 
(d) 
Local housing conditions and needs and the availability of credit 
resources to meet those needs relative to similar or competing conditions and 
needs in other localities in the State; 
(5) Setting and establishing procedures for the servicing of loans, notes and 
obligations acquired by it, including the allowance of servicing fees to 
participating lenders to whom the Maine State Housing Authority may entrust 
such servicing; 
Page I - 123LR0267(Ol)-i 
(6) Setting and establishing procedures for the collection of money due from 
persons liable for payment, as to any loan, note or obligation held by the Maine 
State Housing Authority, by subrogation or otherwise, and to initiate and 
maintain any action at law or in equity, including foreclosure proceedings, to 
enforce payment; 
(7) 
Setting and establishing procedures for the orderly liquidation and 
disposition of any property acquired by the Maine State Housing Authority 
through foreclosure or otherwise in full or partial satisfaction of any debt or 
obligation held by it; and 
(8) Establishing and maintaining out of income or otherwise any reserves that 
the Maine State Housing Authority from time to time determines to te necessary 
and prudent in addition to those specifically required. 
Following reasonable notice to each commissioner, -4- ~ commissioners of the Maine 
State Housing Authority constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting its 
business, exercising its powers and for all other purposes, notwithstanding 
t~,e 
existence of any vacancies. Action may be taken by the commissioners upon a vote 
of a majority of the commissioners present, unless its bylaws require a larger number. 
SUMMARY 
This bill changes the number of commissioners on the Maine Stale Housing 
Authority appointed by the Governor from 5 to 7, 2 of whom must be representatives of 
low-income people, to match the number of commissioners on local authorities. It also 
changes the manner in which the chair of the commissioners is chosen.