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An Act Regarding the State Government Evaluation Act Review of the Maine State Housing Authority
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §4706, sub-§1, ¶B,  as amended by PL 1993, c. 175, §1, is further amended to read:
 
B. Any written or recorded financial statement, as determined by an authority, of an individual submitted to an authority or a member, officer, employee or agent of an authority, in connection with an application for, or receipt of, a grant, mortgage or mortgage insurance;
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §4706, sub-§1, ¶C,  as enacted by PL 1993, c. 175, §2, is amended to read:
 
C. Any information acquired by the Maine State Housing Authority or a state public body, private corporation, copartnership, association, fuel vendor, private contractor or individual, or an employee, officer or agent of any of those persons or entities, providing services related to weatherization, energy conservation, homeless assistance or fuel assistance programs of the Maine State Housing Authority, when that information was provided by the applicant for, or recipient of, those services or by a 3rd person; and
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §4706, sub-§1, ¶D,  as enacted by PL 1993, c. 175, §2, is amended to read:
 
D. Any statements of financial condition or information pertaining to financial condition submitted to any of the persons or entities set forth in paragraph C in connection with an application for services related to weatherization, energy conservation, homeless assistance or fuel assistance programs of the Maine State Housing Authority.; and
Sec. 4. 30-A MRSA §4706, sub-§1, ¶E  is enacted to read:
 
E.  The address of a shelter or other living accommodations for victims of domestic violence.
Sec. 5. 30-A MRSA §4722, sub-§1, ¶Y,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. RRRR, §4, is further amended to read:
 
Y. Expand access to housing for young professionals and young families. The Maine State Housing Authority shall develop recommendations to create or modify programs with the goal of expanding access to housing for young professionals and young families. The Maine State Housing Authority shall specifically consider strategies to assist renters and first-time home buyers who are under 35 years of age and explore options for linking assistance levels to student loan obligations. The Maine State Housing Authority shall collaborate with the Maine Community College System, vocational high schools and community action programs to encourage the development of affordable housing in high-cost housing areas of the State.
 
(1) The Maine State Housing Authority shall report its findings and recommendations regarding expanded access to housing for young professionals and young families to the Maine Development Foundation and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing matters no later than January 15, 2005 and annually thereafter;
Sec. 6. 30-A MRSA §4741, sub-§18,  as enacted by PL 1993, c. 175, §8, is amended to read:
 
18. State designee for homeless programs.   The Maine State Housing Authority is designated the coordinating agency for the State for programs dealing with homeless persons and may apply for, receive, distribute and administer federal, state and other funds on behalf of the State for homeless programs including, without limitation, the Emergency Community Services Homeless Grant Program and the programs authorized pursuant to the federal Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, Public Law 100-77, (1987), as amended.
Sec. 7. 30-A MRSA §4852, sub-§3,  as amended by PL 1991, c. 606, Pt. C, §1 and affected by §3, is repealed.
 
SUMMARY
This bill makes the following changes to the laws governing the Maine State Housing Authority.
1. It eliminates the annual reporting requirement for the recommendations regarding housing for persons under 35 years of age.
2. It provides the Maine State Housing Authority with the ability to administer state and other funds for persons who are homeless.
3. It expands the records protected as confidential records pursuant to the freedom of access law to include the addresses of domestic violence shelters and living accommodations, as well as information collected by recipients of grants, mortgages and mortgage insurance from the authority.
4. It repeals the setting aside of funds within the Housing Opportunities for Maine Fund.