An Act to Make the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1170
Committee: Housing and Economic Development
Sponsors: JULIA, CURRY
Amends: 5 MRSA §1742, 30-A MRSA §4754, 30-A MRSA §4754-A, 30-A MRSA §4755, 30-A MRSA §4756, 30-A MRSA §5157

Legislative Document
No. 1170
H.P. 775
House of Representatives, March 20, 2025
An Act to Make the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority 
Responsible for the Transfer and Development of State-owned 
Surplus Land
Reference to the Committee on Housing and Economic Development suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative JULIA of Waterville.
Cosponsored by Senator CURRY of Waldo and
Representatives: COLLAMORE of Pittsfield, EDER of Waterboro, GERE of Kennebunkport, 
GOLEK of Harpswell, MALON of Biddeford, ROBERTS of South Berwick, SACHS of 
Freeport, YUSUF of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §1742, sub-§23, as amended by PL 2017, c. 234, §1, is further 
amended to read:
23.  Inventory of land.  To periodically inventory all land owned by any state agency 
and, together with other state agencies, determine land that is needed by state agencies for 
other uses and land that is surplus.  Prior to offering any land for sale, the commissioner 
shall review with the Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land Bank 
Authority and other state agencies the information derived from the inventory.
A.  By February 1, 1988, the commissioner shall provide an initial report on the status 
of the land inventory to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over economic development; state and local government; and 
appropriations and financial affairs.
B.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the procedure for the 
distribution of surplus state property for the purpose of this subsection shall take takes 
priority over any other procedure for the disbursement of surplus state land.
C.  Nothing in this This subsection shall may not be construed to pertain to public 
reserved lands which that are exempt from this subsection.
D.  The department shall work closely with the Maine State Housing Authority Maine 
Redevelopment Land Bank Authority to develop a procedure by which surplus state-
owned land and structures are held in trust for the purpose set forth in this section and 
Title 30‑A, chapter 201, subchapter 3‑A;
Sec. 2.  30-A MRSA §4754, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2017, c. 234, §24, is further 
amended to read:
3.  State-owned property.  The Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment 
Land Bank Authority may use surplus state-owned property pursuant to this subchapter and 
Title 5, section 1742, subsection 23 to achieve the purpose of this article subchapter.
Sec. 3.  30-A MRSA §4754-A, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 914, §5, is amended to 
read:
§4754-A.  First option to purchase surplus lands
All state agencies shall offer the Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment 
Land Bank Authority the opportunity to purchase or otherwise acquire any land and 
improvements on the land or any structures determined to be surplus before the property 
may be offered for sale or transfer to any other state agency, community or other buyer or 
transferee.  Notice of availability must be provided in writing to the Director executive 
director of the Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land Bank 
Authority.
1.  Notification of interest.  The Maine State Housing Authority Maine 
Redevelopment Land Bank Authority shall advise the owner agency in writing of its 
interest in purchasing or otherwise acquiring the surplus land and any improvements on the 
land or surplus structures or of its decision not to purchase or otherwise acquire any such 
surplus property within 30 days of receipt of the notification by the Director executive 
director of the Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land Bank 
Authority.
2.  Purchase price.  If the Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land 
Bank Authority offers to purchase the property, the purchase price must be determined as 
follows.
A.  The current market value must be determined by an independent appraiser or by 
agreement between the Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land 
Bank Authority and the owner agency.  The Maine State Housing Authority Maine 
Redevelopment Land Bank Authority and the owner agency then shall negotiate the 
ultimate purchase price in good faith in order to achieve the respective goals and 
mandates of the Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land Bank 
Authority and the owner agency.
B.  The purchase price may not exceed the current market value of the property as 
determined in paragraph A.
C.  If title to the land or improvements carries a requirement that the property be sold 
at fair market value, then this requirement prevails over the terms of this subsection.
3.  Report.  The Maine State Housing Authority shall report to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing and economic development 
matters 90 days after the 2nd anniversary of the effective date of this section on state surplus 
land purchased under this section together with any recommendations for improvements.
If any land determined to be surplus is located in a community served by a local public 
municipal housing authority under section 4721, as defined in this Title, the Maine State 
Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority shall offer the first option 
to purchase the parcel to the local public municipal housing authority.  The local public 
municipal housing authority has 45 days to indicate in writing its desire to acquire the 
parcel.  Other offers to purchase the parcel may not be considered until the 45-day period 
has passed.
Sec. 4.  30-A MRSA §4755, as amended by PL 2017, c. 234, §25, is further amended 
to read:
§4755.  Provide property
The Maine State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority may 
provide surplus state property below market value pursuant to this subchapter and Title 5, 
section 1742, subsection 23 to any person, firm or organization that agrees to construct, 
reconstruct or rehabilitate affordable housing for low-income and moderate-income 
households and maintain this property for this purpose in a written contract with the Maine 
State Housing Authority Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority.
Sec. 5.  30-A MRSA §4756, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 48, §§3 and 31, is amended 
to read:
§4756.  Rules
The Maine State Housing Authority shall adopt routine technical rules in accordance 
with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to 
implement this subchapter sections 4751, 4752 and 4753, including eligibility standards 
for financing under this subchapter sections 4751, 4752 and 4753.  The Maine 
Redevelopment Land Bank Authority shall adopt routine technical rules in accordance with 
Title 5, chapter 375, to implement sections 4754, 4754-A and 4755, including eligibility 
standards for financing under sections 4754, 4754-A and 4755.
Sec. 6.  30-A MRSA §5157, sub-§1, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 664, §3, is 
amended to read:
D.  Property that is environmentally hazardous; and
Sec. 7.  30-A MRSA §5157, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 664, §3, is 
amended to read:
E.  Property that a municipality or county has determined is not within the capacity of 
the municipality or county to redevelop and for which the municipality or county has 
requested the assistance of the redevelopment authority.; and
Sec. 8.  30-A MRSA §5157, sub-§1, ¶F is enacted to read:
F.  Property determined to be surplus land under Title 5, section 1742, subsection 23 
and chapter 201, subchapter 3-A.
SUMMARY
This bill replaces the Maine State Housing Authority with the Maine Redevelopment 
Land Bank Authority as the state agency responsible for the transfer and development of 
state-owned surplus land. The bill also removes an outdated report provision regarding the 
Maine State Housing Authority's first option to purchase surplus lands.