SENATE ENACTS MEASURE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN MAINE

Senator Patrick’s bill allows Maine State Housing Authority to accept federal funds to increase access to affordable housing

AUGUSTA –This morning, the Senate unanimously enacted a measure sponsored by Democratic Senator John Patrick of Rumford to address homelessness in Maine.

“For too many Mainers, the simple security of having a roof over their heads is out of reach,” said Senator Patrick. “We have to act now to address this crisis.”

According to a 2013 study by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, while homelessness declined by 4 percent nationwide in the last year, homelessness in Maine increased by 26 percent.

Senator Patricks bill will allow the Maine State Housing Authority to receive funding from the National Housing Trust Fund, which was established as a provision of the federal Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. It is a dedicated fund intended to build, preserve, and rehabilitate affordable housing for low-income families.

The bill LD 1790, “An Act To Designate Maine State Housing Authority To Receive Funds from the National Housing Trust Fund,” will now be sent to Governor LePage for his signature.

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