An Act To Assist Public School Students and Families Who Are Homeless
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0773
Committee: Labor and Housing
Sponsors: BRENNAN
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4014, 30-A MRSA §4762

Legislative Document
No. 773
H.P. 578
House of Representatives, March 5, 2021
An Act To Assist Public School Students and Families Who Are 
Homeless
Reference to the Committee on Labor and Housing suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative BRENNAN of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4014 is enacted to read:
§4014.  Referral for housing assistance
Upon identifying a public school student as a homeless child or youth as defined in the 
federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001, 42 
United States Code, Section 11431 et seq., a local educational agency liaison for children 
and youth experiencing homelessness pursuant to the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001, 42 United States Code, Section 11431 et 
seq. shall make a referral to the Maine State Housing Authority for temporary housing 
assistance for the student and the student's family under Title 30-A, section 4762.
Sec. 2.  30-A MRSA §4762, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 175, §9, is amended 
to read:
3.  Provisions governing assistance.  The program must be administered subject to 
the provisions in this section.  Priority must be given to persons who demonstrate a need 
for assistance and the ability to repay a loan and to homeless students and the families of 
homeless students referred to the authority under Title 20-A, section 4014.  For the purpose 
of this subsection, "homeless student" means a public school student identified as a 
homeless child or youth as defined in the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education 
Assistance Improvements Act of 2001, 42 United States Code, Section 11431 et seq. by a 
local educational agency liaison for children and youth experiencing homelessness 
pursuant to the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements 
Act of 2001, 42 United States Code, Section 11431 et seq.
A.  The state authority, by rules adopted in accordance with the Maine Administrative 
Procedure Act, shall establish priorities of assistance.  These priorities must be based 
on the household income of the applicant, the demonstrated need for assistance, the 
ability to repay a loan, the needs of a homeless student and the family of the homeless 
student and other criteria established by the state authority.
B.  Grants may be provided only when:
(1)  The grant is essential to securing a decent, safe and sanitary rental unit for the 
applicant;
(2)  The income of the applicant is insufficient to repay any loan or portion of a 
loan;
(3)  All available resource alternatives have been exhausted; and
(4)  The applicant has satisfied all other program priorities and requirements as 
established by the state authority.
C.  Loans from the fund may be made for a period based on the applicant's ability to 
repay the loan, not to exceed 12 months.  Interest may be charged on loans based on 
the applicant's ability to repay the loan, not to exceed 3%.  When an applicant can not 
repay the loan in full within the 12-month period, the state authority may extend the 
repayment period if the state authority determines that the loan can be repaid during 
the extension period.  The state authority may defer or waive the payment of interest 
or principal on any loan or portion of a loan for which that payment is an undue 
hardship.
D.  Assistance under the program must be provided on an ongoing basis to the extent 
that money is available in the fund.
SUMMARY
This bill requires that the Maine State Housing Authority give priority for temporary 
housing assistance to homeless students and their families who are identified and referred 
to the authority by a local educational agency liaison for children and youth experiencing 
homelessness under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance 
Improvements Act of 2001.