An Act To Ensure the Provision of Housing Navigation Services to Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1146
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: McCREIGHT, BELLOWS, EVANGELOS, FAY, GATTINE, HUTCHINS, STOVER, TUELL, DAVIS, LAWRENCE
Amends: 22 MRSA §5106, 22 MRSA §5107-K

Legislative Document
No. 1146
H.P. 835
House of Representatives, March 7, 2019
An Act To Ensure the Provision of Housing Navigation Services to 
Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative McCREIGHT of Harpswell.
Cosponsored by Senator BELLOWS of Kennebec and
Representatives: EVANGELOS of Friendship, FAY of Raymond, GATTINE of Westbrook, 
HUTCHINS of Penobscot, STOVER of Boothbay, TUELL of East Machias, Senators: DAVIS 
of Piscataquis, LAWRENCE of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §5106, sub-§13, as amended by PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. BB, §9, is 
further amended to read:
13.  Coordinate activities.  Coordinate activities and cooperate with programs in this 
and other states for the common advancement of programs for Maine's aging population 
and incapacitated and dependent adults; and
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §5106, sub-§14-A is enacted to read:
14-A.  Housing navigator.  Support and maintain a housing navigator under section 
5107-K; and
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §5107-K is enacted to read:
§5107-K.  Housing navigator
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Home repair, modification and weatherization services" means services, 
materials and programs available to make a residence safe, warm, dry and efficient, 
including repairs to the physical structure, the installation of safety equipment, 
including bathroom grab bars, improved lighting and smoke and carbon monoxide 
detectors, weatherization services and the installation of energy-efficient lighting 
fixtures.
B.  "Housing navigation assistance" means assistance with:
(1)  Finding affordable home repair, modification and weatherization services;
(2)  Finding affordable and adequate alternative housing options, including 
housing with services;
(3)  Managing a transition between housing settings; and
(4)  Accessing information and resources regarding housing and transitioning 
housing.
C.  "Qualified person" means a person with a disability or a person 60 years of age or 
older.
2.  Housing navigator.  There is established within the department the position of 
housing navigator.  The housing navigator:
A.  Provides housing navigation assistance to qualified persons;
B.  Collaborates with other state agencies, aging and disability service providers and 
organizations and others to develop, maintain, update and make publicly available 
information and resources regarding housing navigation assistance; and
C.  Identifies gaps in housing assistance needs of qualified persons and periodically 
submits a report on any gaps to the director of the department's office of aging and 
disability services for inclusion in the state plan on aging under section 5106, 
subsection 4.
SUMMARY
This bill creates within the Department of Health and Human Services a housing 
navigator who:
1.  Assists disabled and elderly persons in locating housing, transitioning between 
housing settings and accessing home repair and home modification services and 
materials;
2.  Maintains and makes publicly available housing assistance information and 
resources; and
3.  Identifies gaps in housing assistance needs of elderly persons and persons with 
disabilities and periodically submits a report on the gaps to the director of the Department 
of Health and Human Services' office of aging and disability services for inclusion in the 
state plan on aging.