An Act Directing the Maine State Housing Authority To Create a Commission To Develop a Comprehensive Rental Registry for Multifamily Housing
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1397
Committee: Labor and Housing
Sponsors: GERE, CLOUTIER, FECTEAU, MILLETT, MORALES, SACHS, SUPICA, SYLVESTER, WILLIAMS
Amends: 30-A MRSA §4726

Legislative Document
No. 1397
H.P. 1031
House of Representatives, April 7, 2021
An Act Directing the Maine State Housing Authority To Create a 
Commission To Develop a Comprehensive Rental Registry for 
Multifamily Housing
Received by the Clerk of the House on April 5, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on Labor 
and Housing pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative GERE of Kennebunkport.
Cosponsored by Representatives: CLOUTIER of Lewiston, Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford, 
MILLETT of Cape Elizabeth, MORALES of South Portland, SACHS of Freeport, SUPICA of 
Bangor, SYLVESTER of Portland, WILLIAMS of Bar Harbor.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  30-A MRSA §4726 is enacted to read:
§4726.  Rental registry for multifamily housing
The Maine State Housing Authority shall create a commission to develop a 
comprehensive rental registry, referred to in this section as "the registry" for multifamily 
housing in the State. The commission must consist of representatives of large and small 
municipalities, multifamily housing owners and renters and other interested parties invited 
to participate by the Maine State Housing Authority. The commission shall:
1.  Information.  Design the registry to include information that the commission 
determines relevant, including data on ownership, management, occupancy status, 
condition, code violations, lead abatement and inspection history of all multifamily housing 
in the State;
2.  Available to public.  Make the registry available on a publicly accessible website;
3.  Outreach.  Investigate models and best practices for outreach to rental property 
owners and managers and for data collection, formatting, display, consolidation and 
updating of data;
4.  Common platform. Identify or create and implement a common platform for data 
collection, formatting and display;
5.  Data consistency.  Establish an ongoing process for maintaining data consistency 
and quality; and
6.  Disseminate information.  Disseminate information on the registry, including 
processes and systems, to interested municipalities.
Sec. 2.  Report.  By February 1, 2022, the commission shall submit a report on the 
progress of the comprehensive rental registry of multifamily housing to the Maine State 
Housing Authority.  On or before January 1, 2023 and annually thereafter, the Maine State 
Housing Authority shall report on the progress of the registry to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor and housing matters.
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Maine State Housing Authority to create a commission to develop, 
implement and disseminate to municipalities and post on a publicly accessible website a 
comprehensive rental registry of multifamily housing in the State. The commission consists 
of representatives of large and small municipalities, owners and renters of multifamily 
housing and other interested parties invited by the authority.  The authority is directed to 
report annually to the Legislature on the progress of the registry.