An Act to Provide Rental Assistance for Recovery Housing
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1377
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MILLIKEN, HICKMAN, ABDI, DANA, GOLEK, O'NEIL, OSHER, RANA, SHEEHAN, TALBOT ROSS
Amends: 5 MRSA §20058

Legislative Document
No. 1377
H.P. 891
House of Representatives, March 28, 2023
An Act to Provide Rental Assistance for Recovery Housing
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MILLIKEN of Blue Hill.
Cosponsored by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec and
Representatives: ABDI of Lewiston, DANA of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, GOLEK of 
Harpswell, O'NEIL of Saco, OSHER of Orono, RANA of Bangor, SHEEHAN of Biddeford, 
Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §20058 is enacted to read:
§20058.  Recovery residence rental assistance program
1. Recovery residence rental assistance program.  The recovery residence rental 
assistance program, referred to in this section as "the program," is established to provide 
assistance for rental fees for eligible individuals to reside in a certified recovery residence 
under section 20057. The department shall contract with a nonprofit organization in the 
State that manages ethical and safety standards and certifies recovery residences to 
administer the program. At least 50% of assistance provided under the program must be 
provided to individuals who are members of marginalized groups, including but not limited 
to Black, indigenous or other persons of color, persons with differences in mental or 
physical abilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. 
2. Eligibility. The program must provide assistance under subsection 1 for an amount 
equal to up to 3 months' rent in a certified recovery residence for an individual who:
A. Has been accepted to reside or resides in a certified recovery residence; and
B. Has an income that is equal to or less than the federal poverty level.
3. Recovery residence rental assistance fund.  The recovery residence rental 
assistance fund is established and administered by the department to support the program.  
Assistance under the program must be disbursed directly from the fund to the certified 
recovery residence for an eligible individual under subsection 2 approved for the program. 
The fund is funded by appropriations, allocations and other public and private sources.  The 
fund may be interest-bearing and interest accrued on money in the fund accrues to the fund.  
The fund does not lapse but carries over to the next fiscal year. 
4. Rules.  The department shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this section.  
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules under chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.
SUMMARY
This bill creates the recovery residence rental assistance program and fund to provide 
rental assistance for up to 3 months in a certified recovery residence for an individual 
accepted to reside in or who resides in a certified recovery residence and who has an income 
at or below the federal poverty level. The program is required to provide at least 50% of 
the assistance to individuals who are members of marginalized groups, including but not 
limited to Black, indigenous or other persons of color, persons with differences in mental 
or physical abilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons.