An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Address Maine's
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1912
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: BENNETT, FECTEAU, DAUGHTRY
Amends: 5 MRSA §13059-A

Legislative Document
No. 1912
S.P. 753
In Senate, May 6, 2025
An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Address Maine's 
Housing Shortage
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BENNETT of Oxford.
Cosponsored by Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford and
Senators: President DAUGHTRY of Cumberland, PIERCE of Cumberland, STEWART of 
Aroostook, Representatives: BLIER of Buxton, DUCHARME of Madison, JACKSON of 
Oxford, MALON of Biddeford, MCCABE of Lewiston.
Preamble.  Two thirds of both Houses of the Legislature deeming it necessary in 
accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the issuance 
of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this Act,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
PART A
Sec. A-1.  Authorization of bonds.  The Treasurer of State is authorized, under the 
direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an 
amount not exceeding $60,000,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Part.  The 
bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State.  The bonds may not run for a 
period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds.
Sec. A-2.  Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of State 
shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the name 
of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of sale 
and the date when payable.
Sec. A-3.  Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated.  The Treasurer of 
State may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may 
be loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State.  The proceeds of the sale of the 
bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State 
upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set 
forth in this Part.  Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project 
in this Part lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of 
general obligation bonds.
Sec. A-4.  Interest and debt retirement.  The Treasurer of State shall pay interest 
due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Part and all sums coming due for payment 
of bonds at maturity.
Sec. A-5.  Disbursement of bond proceeds from General Fund bond issue.  
The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Part must be expended as 
designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies 
and entities set forth in this section.
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Provides funds for the Innovative Housing Incentive Program under the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 5, section 13059-A to support manufacturers of manufactured and other 
innovative housing in the State by providing grants for operating expenses, manufacture 
of affordable and energy-efficient housing and low-interest loans to develop new 
factories or expand existing factories by capitalizing the Home Accessibility and Repair 
Program Fund.
Total 
$30,000,000
MAINE STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Provides funds to support a home accessibility and repair program by capitalizing the 
Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, 
section 4853.
Total 
$25,000,000
MAINE STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Provides funds for the Weatherization Plus Program under the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 30-A, section 4994-C to provide grants to eligible low-income households for 
weatherization readiness and weatherization projects.
Total 
$2,500,000
MAINE STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Provides funds to support a pilot program to issue grants to nonprofit housing developers 
to rehabilitate existing aging housing stock in the State for purchase by qualified first-
time home buyers.
Total 
$2,500,000
Sec. A-6.  Contingent upon ratification of bond issue.  Sections 1 to 5 do not 
become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth 
in this Part.
Sec. A-7.  Appropriation balances at year-end.  At the end of each fiscal year, 
all unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward.  Bond 
proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the bonds 
lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general 
obligation bonds.
Sec. A-8.  Bonds authorized but not issued.  Any bonds authorized but not issued 
within 5 years of ratification of this Part are deauthorized and may not be issued, except 
that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend 
the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not 
to exceed 5 years.
Sec. A-9.  Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of 
question; effective date.  This Part must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at 
a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act.  The 
municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns 
and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, 
to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Part by voting on the following question:
"Do you favor a $60,000,000 bond issue to provide funds for the 
Innovative Housing Incentive Program to support manufacturers of 
manufactured and other innovative housing in the State by providing 
grants for operating expenses, manufacture of affordable and energy 
efficient housing and low-interest loans to develop new factories or expand 
existing factories by capitalizing the Home Accessibility and Repair 
Program Fund under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 13059-A, 
provide funds to support a home accessibility and repair program by 
capitalizing the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund under the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 4853, provide funds for the 
Weatherization Plus Program to provide grants to eligible low-income 
households for weatherization readiness and weatherization projects 
pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 4994-C and 
provide funds to support a pilot program to issue grants to nonprofit 
housing developers to rehabilitate existing aging housing stock in the State 
for purchase by qualified first-time home buyers?"
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question 
and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square 
below the word "Yes" or "No."  The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared 
in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in 
the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature.  The Governor shall review the 
returns.  If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Part, the Governor shall 
proclaim the result without delay and this Part becomes effective 30 days after the date of 
the proclamation.
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all 
ballots, returns and copies of this Part necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum.
PART B
Sec. B-1.  5 MRSA §13059-A is enacted to read:
§13059-A.  Innovative Housing Incentive Program; Innovative Housing Incentive 
Program Fund
1. Innovative Housing Incentive Program. The Innovative Housing Incentive 
Program, referred to in this section as "the program," is administered by the department to 
provide grants and factory loans to housing manufacturers located in the State.
2. Eligibility. A housing manufacturer is eligible for a grant or factory loan under the 
program if the business:
A. Is located in the State; 
B. Has 500 or fewer employees; and
C. Manufactures:
(1) One or more manufactured homes as defined in Title 10, section 9081, 
subsection 1; or
(2) Housing in any other manner that the department determines to be innovative, 
including prefabricated panelized construction, which may include structural 
insulated panels or insulated concrete forms, 3-dimensional printed housing, a kit 
home installed on a permanent foundation or a tiny home as defined in Title 29-A, 
section 101, subsection 80-C installed on a permanent foundation.  For purposes 
of this subparagraph, "3-dimensional printed housing" means a housing unit 
constructed using a digital file using a process in which construction material is 
deposited, joined or solidified under computer control with the material being 
added together typically layer by layer.
3. Grants. The department shall provide grants to eligible housing manufacturers 
under subsection 2, including:
A. Reimbursement up to 20% of monthly operating expenses up to $350,000 per 
housing manufacturer;
B. From $1,500 to $6,000 for every housing unit manufactured and installed in the 
State. The department shall grant an amount in the higher end of the range under this 
paragraph for a housing unit that is affordable and energy-efficient; and
C. A $50,000 bonus if an eligible housing manufacturer commits at least 10% of the 
manufacturer's housing production to deed-restricted affordable housing.
The department may provide to an eligible housing manufacturer one or more grants under 
this subsection.
4. Factory loans. The department shall provide a low-interest loan under a competitive 
process to an eligible housing manufacturer under subsection 2 to support the development 
of a new factory or the expansion of an existing factory dedicated to the manufacture of 
housing under subsection 2, paragraph C.  In awarding a loan under this subsection, the 
department shall consider:
A. The percentage of affordable housing units to be produced by the factory;
B. The energy efficiency of the housing units produced by the factory;
C. The number and quality of jobs created by the development of the new factory or 
the expansion of an existing factory;
D. The proposed terms of the loan; and
E. The financial health and qualifications of the applicant.
5. Innovative Housing Incentive Program Fund. The Innovative Housing Incentive 
Program Fund, referred to in this subsection as "the fund," is established. The fund is 
administered by the department. Disbursements from the fund must be provided equally to 
support grants under subsection 3 and loans under subsection 4.  The fund is a revolving, 
nonlapsing, interest-bearing fund. Interest from investment of proceeds of the fund accrue 
to the fund.  The fund receives funds from bond proceeds, appropriations, allocations, gifts, 
donations, interest from investments of bond funds and interest and principal derived from 
loans made from the program and other revenue from public and private sources.  Proceeds 
of the fund may be used to support reasonable department expenses in administering the 
program and the fund.
6. Rules.  The department shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this section. 
Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules under Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.
Sec. B-2.  Contingent effective date. This Part does not take effect unless the 
people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in Part A.
PART C
Sec. C-1.  30-A MRSA c. 201, sub-c. 15 is enacted to read:
SUBCHAPTER 15
WEATHERIZATION PLUS PROGRAM
§4994-C.  Weatherization Plus Program 
1.  Program established.  The Weatherization Plus Program, referred to in this 
subchapter as "the program," is established within the Maine State Housing Authority, for 
the purposes described in subsection 2.  The program must be operated in conjunction with 
other programs of the authority. 
2.  Purposes of program.  The purposes of the program are to: 
A. Help eligible low-income households implement energy conservation measures 
through grants and the funding of weatherization readiness or weatherization projects.  
For the purposes of this subchapter, "weatherization readiness" means the process to 
protect a building from the outside weather elements and improve its energy efficiency; 
B. Reduce the number of deferrals from the Weatherization Assistance for Low-income 
Persons Program administered through the United States Department of Energy and 
referenced in section 4741, subsection 15; and 
C. Maximize the use of federal funding available for the purposes in paragraphs A and 
B.  
3.  Program requirements.  The Maine State Housing Authority shall establish 
program requirements, including, but not limited to, requiring that an applicant for the 
program must:
A. Meet the same household income eligibility requirements applicable to the 
Weatherization Assistance for Low-income Persons Program administered through the 
United States Department of Energy and implemented pursuant to section 4741, 
subsection 15;
B. Demonstrate that the dwelling for which the funds are to be applied is a single-
family house or manufactured housing occupied by the applicant or another eligible 
low-income household; and 
C. For weatherization readiness projects, provide a substantiated expectation of the 
dwelling being weatherized following completion of the weatherization readiness 
project. 
An approved applicant may be awarded a grant of up to $20,000.
§4994-D.  Weatherization Plus Fund
The Weatherization Plus Fund, referred to in this subchapter as "the fund," is 
established under the jurisdiction and control of the Maine State Housing Authority for the 
purpose of providing funds for the program. 
1.  Sources of fund.  Sources of the fund include: 
A. All money appropriated for inclusion in the fund; 
B. Subject to any pledge, contract or other obligation, any money that the Maine State 
Housing Authority receives in repayment of advances from the fund; 
C. Subject to any pledge, contract or other obligation, all interest, dividends and 
pecuniary gains from investment of money of the fund; and
D. Any other money available to and directed by the Maine State Housing Authority 
to be paid into the fund. 
2.  Revolving fund.  The fund is a nonlapsing, revolving fund.  The Maine State 
Housing Authority shall continuously apply all money in the fund to carry out the purposes 
of this subchapter.
Sec. C-2.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
HOUSING AUTHORITY, MAINE STATE
Weatherization Plus Fund N505
Initiative: Provides one-time funds for grants to eligible low-income households for 
weatherization readiness and weatherization projects pursuant to the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 30-A, chapter 201, subchapter 15.
GENERAL FUND
2025-26
2026-27
All Other
$2,500,000
$0
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$2,500,000
$0
Sec. C-3.  Contingent effective date. This Part does not take effect unless the 
people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in Part A.
PART D
Sec. D-1.  Maine State Housing Authority to create pilot program.  The 
Maine State Housing Authority shall create a pilot program, referred to in this Part as "the 
program," to issue grants to nonprofit housing developers to rehabilitate existing aging 
housing stock in the State.  The program must rehabilitate 15 units, and a grant issued by 
the program may be in an amount up to $80,000 per unit.
Sec. D-2.  Program grant uses.  A grant issued to a nonprofit housing developer 
under the program may be used to rehabilitate an existing single-family or multifamily 
dwelling unit.  Renovation projects eligible under a grant include lead paint mitigation, 
energy efficiency improvement or upgrading and repairing or replacing the unit's:
1. Well;
2. Heating system;
3. Electrical system;
4. Roof;
5. Chimney;
6. Structure;
7. Windows;
8. Doors;
9. Siding; and
10. Accessibility for persons with disabilities or persons who experience physical 
barriers in living in the unit.
Sec. D-3.  Home buyer eligibility.  A single-family or multifamily dwelling unit 
renovated by the program must be available for purchase by a first-time home buyer who 
will occupy the unit and has an income that does not exceed 120% of the area median 
income and who agrees that:
1. If the home buyer sells the unit within the first 12 months of ownership, the home 
buyer retains 25% of any profit gained from the sale and 75% of the profit is returned to 
the nonprofit housing developer that received a grant under section 2;
2. If the home buyer sells the unit within the first 13 to 24 months of ownership, the 
home buyer retains 50% of any profit gained from the sale and 50% of the profit is returned 
to the nonprofit housing developer that received a grant under section 2; 
3. If the home buyer sells the unit within the first 25 to 36 months of ownership, the 
home buyer retains 75% of any profit gained from the sale and 25% of the profit is returned 
to the nonprofit housing developer that received a grant under section 2; and
4. If the home buyer sells the unit after 36 months of ownership, the home buyer retains 
100% of any profit gained from the sale.
Sec. D-4.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
HOUSING AUTHORITY, MAINE STATE
Existing Housing Stock Rehabilitation Program N510
Initiative: Provides one-time funds for a pilot program that provides grants to nonprofit 
housing developers to rehabilitate existing aging housing stock for purchase by qualified 
first-time home buyers.
GENERAL FUND
2025-26
2026-27
All Other
$2,500,000
$0
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$2,500,000
$0
Sec. D-5.  Contingent effective date. This Part does not take effect unless the 
people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in Part A.
SUMMARY
The funds provided by the bond issue in Part A of this bill, in the amount of 
$60,000,000, will be used to provide funds for the Innovative Housing Incentive Program 
to support manufacturers of manufactured and other innovative housing in the State by 
providing grants for operating expenses, manufacture of affordable and energy-efficient 
housing and low-interest loans to develop new factories or expand existing factories by 
capitalizing the Home Accessibility and Repair Program Fund, provide funds to support 
the Maine State Housing Authority's home accessibility and repair program by capitalizing 
the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund, provide funds for the Weatherization Plus 
Program to provide grants to eligible low-income households for weatherization readiness 
and weatherization projects and provide funds to support a pilot program to issue grants to 
nonprofit housing developers to rehabilitate existing aging housing stock in the State for 
purchase by qualified first-time home buyers.