An Act To Implement a Rental Assistance Program for Low-income Households and Individuals
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1188
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: FREY, PATRICK, HERBIG, MASTRACCIO, ROTUNDO, VALENTINO
Amends: 30-A MRSA §4852, 30-A MRSA §4859

Legislative Document 
No. 1188 
H.P. 821 
House of Representatives, April 1, 2015 
An Act To Implement a Rental Assistance Program for Low-income 
Households and Individuals 
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative FREY of Bangor. 
Cosponsored by Senator PATRICK of Oxford and 
Representatives: HERBIG of Belfast, MASTRACCIO of Sanford, ROTUNDO of Lewiston, 
Senator: VALENTINO of York. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  30-A MRSA §4852, sub-§2, ¶E is enacted to read: 
E.  Beginning January 1, 2016 and annually thereafter, the Maine State Housing 
Authority shall allocate to the rental assistance program in section 4859 an amount 
equal to $3,000,000 from funds in the fund that are in excess of the amount of funds 
received in the fund in fiscal year 2014-15. 
Sec. 2.  30-A MRSA §4859 is enacted to read: 
§4859.  Rental assistance program 
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings: 
A.  "Available funds" means the remaining funds after administrative costs of the 
Maine State Housing Authority in implementing the program, which may not exceed 
5% of the funds allocated to the program under section 4852, subsection 2, paragraph 
E; 
B.  "Local area" means a geographically defined area in the State determined by a 
formula adopted by the Maine State Housing Authority that considers factors 
including the availability and affordability of housing for low-income households and 
individuals and the condition and cost burden of housing; and 
C.  "Program" means the rental assistance program in subsection 2. 
2.  Rental assistance program.  Beginning January 1, 2016, the Maine State 
Housing Authority shall implement a rental assistance program for low-income 
households and individuals in the State. 
3.  Eligibility; participation.  A household or individual that has applied for but not 
yet received assistance from a housing choice voucher program administered by the 
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is eligible to participate in 
the program, subject to fund availability. A participant in the program may receive 
assistance only if the rent of the participant's housing meets the fair market rent standards  
published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for the 
area in which the participant's housing is located and meets any housing quality standards 
adopted by the Maine State Housing Authority. A participant in the program shall pay the 
same portion of the participant's income towards rent as required by the formula used by 
a housing choice voucher program administered by the United States Department of 
Housing and Urban Development.  The Maine State House Authority shall determine the 
eligibility of a household or individual on a yearly basis. 
4.  Funds allocation.  The program shall distribute funds throughout the State 
pursuant to this subsection.  The program shall allocate 100% of its available funds to 
participants with incomes at or below 30% of the median income of the local area. 
5.  Rules.  The Maine State Housing Authority shall adopt rules to carry out the 
purposes of this section.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical 
rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This bill directs the Maine State Housing Authority to implement a rental assistance 
program for low-income households and individuals that allocates assistance throughout 
the State based upon the local area's availability, affordability, condition and cost burden 
of housing. Under the bill, 100% of available funds are awarded to participants with 
incomes at or below 30% of the median income of the local area.