Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee

EMERGENCY SHELTER ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE One City Center Thursday, August 17, 2023 8:30 AM AGENDA 1. Introductions a. Review and approval of minutes. 2. Monthly Shelter Bed Usage Statistics a. July Statistics 3. Encampment Update 4. Region 1 Update 5. Hub 2 Update 6. Expo Closure 7. Winter Planning 8. Federal, State and Local Legislation a. Bill Tracking 9. Other Business Next Meeting September 21, 2023 Time: 8:30 -10:00 Location: One City Center If you should have any questions, please contact: Aaron Geyer Adam Harr Health & Human Services Department Health & Human Services Department Social Services Division Social Services Division (207) 482-5131 (207) 482-5144 Page 1 aeg@portlandmaine.gov ash@portlandmaine.gov Page 2  Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee One City Center Thursday, June 15, 2023 8:30 am – 10:00 am Minutes Name Organization Name Organization Taylor Cray Preble Street Jenny Stasio Through These Doors Dan Coyne UWSM Gretta Buckley Through These Doors Ben Martineau HVJ Mike Guthrie City of Portland Family Shelter Terrence Miller Preble Street George Rhault Resident Jackie Sartoris Cumberland County Adam Harr City of Portland District Attorney Devon Stockmayer Preble Street Brian Townsend Common Space Anne-Marie Brown UWSM NOTE: The completed minutes did not upload so only an earlier version of the file created at the start of the meeting was saved; please email Adam Harr at ash@portlandmaine.gov if you have any additions or edits and if you attended but are not listed above. Page 3  Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee Meeting Summary Due to a scheduling conflict with MaineHousing, key stakeholders for the listening session/encampment discussion (the Social Services Director, the HUB 2 Coordinator, and the PATH Senior Director) were unable to attend as they were in the initial meeting of the Encampment Crisis Response Team’s Performance & Data Management team. It was questioned if the meeting should have been postponed due to their absence. The City Council approved an emergency shelter at 166 Riverside Street for single asylum seekers which should open up capacity at the HSC for people in encampments to come into shelter. HVJ will host its Longest Day of Homelessness Summer Solstice Vigil on Wednesday, June 21, from 10am-3pm at Tommy’s Park in Portland. Introductions • Scheduling conflict with ECRT’ data team: MaineHousing was only able to meet during our meeting time, causing several people to miss the ESAC meeting. o What is the point of meeting if the people involved with helping the unhoused in encampments as party of the ECRT are not here? o Should this meeting have been cancelled or postponed? • Approval of May 18, 2023 Meeting Minutes o The minutes were approved with none opposed. May, 2023 Statistics • The Expo was at capacity the entire month, with and average of 300 people sheltered each night. • Intakes are trending down with 86 in May, compared to 96 last month. • CTOs remained low with none issued at the HSC this month. • The high bed night count was shared by three nights at the start and end of the month: May 3, 4, and 29 had 468 induvial in shelters (excluding EXPO). City Council Meeting and Listening Session • City Council approved an emergency shelter at 166 Riverside Street. • Single asylum seekers. o The Blueberry Road proposal for asylum seeking families did not move forward; this shelter will be for singles, not families. • Will create capacity at the HSC for unsheltered. o ~70-80% of the people staying at the HSC are asylum seekers. • To open around November. • We want to avoid pitting vulnerable groups against each other. • Public support for the unhoused. o How can we humanize people sleeping outside to their housed neighbors? Page 4  Emergency Shelter Assessment Committee  Some type of media campaign with testimonials/people sharing their stories. Hotel Closure Update • South Portland hotels are set to close in 2 weeks. • Sanford hotel closing and clients evicted Friday. Cumberland County Service Hub Update • HUB 2 Coordinator is meeting with the ECRT to work on a by name list (BNL) of people in the encampment. o This will feed into the HUB 2 BNL. • Other HUBs are piloting Coordinated Entry. Federal, State, and Local Legislation Update • Federal o Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed into law the “Fiscal Responsibility Act,” an agreement to lift the federal debt ceiling until 2025 in exchange for capping federal spending programs at FY 23 levels in FY 24 and allowing an only 1% increase in spending in FY25. • State o Signed by the governor:  An Act Making Certain Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government.  An Act to Establish the Winter Energy Relief Payment Program to Aid Residents with High Heating Costs and to Finalize the COVID Pandemic Relief Payment Program. • Short-Term Housing Support: $21 million to bolster the Emergency Housing Relief Fund created by Governor Mills and the Legislature earlier this year that supports emergency housing and emergency shelters to prevent people from experiencing homelessness this winter. Other items, updates, and announcements • HVJ Longest Day of Homelessness Summer Solstice Vigil o Wednesday, June 21, from 10am-3pm. o At Tommy’s Park in Portland. o 12pm, HVJ members and allies will speak about their experiences with homelessness and the work they have been doing to address homelessness. Page 5  PORTLAND HOMELESS SHELTERS Average Total Number of Individuals Residing in Shelters* per Night: JULY 2022 JULY 2023 ADOLESCENTS 24 Individuals 24 Individuals FAMILIES 80 Individuals 116 Individuals 32 Average Families 41 Average Families ADULTS 317 Individuals 488 Individuals Total 421 Individuals 628 Individuals *GA hotels are on the next slide. Prepared by: City of Portland, Health & Human Page 6 Services Department, Social Services Division  PORTLAND, CITY-WIDE JULY, 2023 General Assistance Hotels GA Hotels 200 183 180 180 161 Month* Total 160 145 137 136 Unduplicated 140 136 3,200 120 GA Hotels 100 Total Unduplicated GA Hotels are the cases granted 80 General Assistance hotel rooms from June, 2020 60 through the end of the month being reported. 40 Portland GA no longer makes McKinney Vento 20 referrals as of the May 5, 2022 policy change. 0 FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL *Started referral partnership with South Portland Schools in December, 2020. Page 7  HOMELESS SERVICES CENTER JULY, 2023 Intakes by Residency MAINE TOWN OUT-OF-STATE OUT-OF-COUNTRY Augusta 1 AZ 4 Bangor 1 CA 4 Buxton 1 CT 1 Hollis 1 MA 1 Kittery 1 NV 1 Lewiston 3 NY 1 Old Orchard Beach 1 TX 2 South Portland 5 Page 8 MAINE TOWN: 14 OUT-OF-STATE: 14 OUT-OF-COUNTRY: PORTLAND: 20 Unknown: TOTAL: 48  PORTLAND, CITY-WIDE JULY, 2023 SHELTER INTAKES BY MONTH Pre-COVID Current INTAKES Bed Bed 2019 2022 2023 Capacity Capacity 195 200 186 16+ at shelter 180 178 173 Through These Doors 11 / 20 16 and hotel 166 160 158 157 overflow 160 150 137 136 148 136 Family Shelter 3 / 16 146 146 140 123 Joe Kreisler 7 24 24 120 100 96 102 102 Milestone 13 41 34 86 80 HSC (Men) 32 154 at OSS, 75 at PSRC 208 60 HSC(Women) 16 overflow 40 25 at Shelter, 25 at Shelter, 20 Florence House 14 15 at Safe 15 at Safe 0 FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL Haven Haven Elena’s Way 6 NA 40 *NOTE: this and the next two slides compare the current year, last year, and the last year before the pandemic. Page 9 TOTAL 102 496 474+  PORTLAND, CITY-WIDE JULY, 2023 HOUSING PLACEMENTS BY MONTH 2019 2022 2023 TOTAL 45 BED 45 HOUSING TEMPORARY PERMANENT NIGHTS 39 39 PLACEMENTS 40 38 36 36 Through 35 34 9 / 14 300 9/14 35 31 These Doors 31 31 30 Family 30 28 4 / 17 602 3/15 25 25 Shelter 25 Joe Kreisler 4 304 2 2 19 20 18 Milestone 4 1,031 4 15 12 HSC (Men) 12 3,941 12 10 HSC 3 525 3 5 (Women) Florence 0 1 125 1 FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL House *Starting October, 2013, Oxford Street Shelter (HSC) shifted prioritization Elena’s Way 2 342 2 of housing placements to their 30 longest-term stayers. TOTAL 39 7,170 2 37 Page 10  PORTLAND, CITY-WIDE JULY, 2023 1st TIME HOMELESSNESS STATISTICS (BASED ON SELF-REPORTING) 2019 2022 2023 % of % of 1st Time 120 1ST TIME the Portland All Homeless % of All HOMELESSNESS Shelter First Time 102 STATISTICS Intakes Intakes Intake 98 ’s Homeless 100 Intakes Intakes Through These 11 / 20 0 80 76 Doors 71 64 68 67 Family Shelter 3 / 16 3 / 16 100% 16% 7% 62 60 Joe Kreisler 7 4 57% 4% 9% 51 46 42 45 Milestone 13 11 85& 11% 24% 38 37 40 36 34 32 31 HSC (Men) 32 20 63% 20% 44% 20 HSC (Women) 16 7 44% 7% 16% Florence House 14 0 0 Elena’s Way 6 0 FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL TOTAL Page 11 102 45 44% 100%  PORTLAND, CITY-WIDE JULY, 2023 CTOs FROM SHELTER Total Current CTOs Medical 2022 2023 CTOs in the CTO STATISTICS Restrictions Current CTOs 88 Month 90 86 88 87 85 85 in Month 76 Family Shelter 0 0 80 72 70 Joe Kreisler 0 3 70 Milestone 0 10 60 52 52 HSC 1 31 50 45 Florence House 0 0 Elena’s Way 0 1 40 TOTAL 1 45 30 CTOs Issued in the Month 15 12 20 10 7 7 8 10 5 5 3 2 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL Page 12  PORTLAND, CITY-WIDE JULY, 2023 HOUSING PLACEMENTS BY TYPE Recovery Housing Family Sect. 8/ No S+C BRAP STEP OTHER* GA Home Project Reunification HCV Subsidy Through These Doors 2 2 4 1 Family Shelter 2 1 Joe Kreisler 2 2 Milestone 2 2 HSC (Men) 8 1 1 2 HSC (Women) 1 2 Florence House 1 Elena’s Way 2 TOTAL 11 2 6 3 9 6 2 *RRH, Host home, YMCA Distribution of Placements in the Month: 39 11 2 6 3 9 6 2 92 2023 Placements: 246 53 25 29 26 8 11 2 0 0 Page 13  Calendar Through These Family Florence Joe HSC Elena's Total Milestone FS WC Day Doors Shelter House Kreisler Beds Way Bed Nights 1 16 96 208 23 31 208 0 40 622 2 16 96 204 23 36 204 0 39 618 16 96 206 24 33 206 0 39 620 PORTLAND, CITY-WIDE 3 4 18 96 208 25 36 208 0 38 629 5 17 96 209 23 34 209 0 39 627 JULY, 2023 6 7 21 21 96 96 208 212 25 26 34 34 208 212 0 0 38 40 630 641 SHELTER COUNT BY NIGHT 8 9 17 14 96 103 209 208 24 25 38 34 209 208 0 0 40 40 633 632 10 14 103 210 24 40 210 0 39 640 11 17 103 209 23 35 209 0 39 635 12 17 103 209 24 37 209 0 39 638 13 22 92 209 25 35 209 0 39 631 14 22 92 208 23 38 208 0 39 630 15 21 92 207 20 36 207 0 39 622 On JULY: 7 16 17 21 21 92 92 208 208 23 24 36 33 208 208 0 0 39 39 627 625 18 19 101 210 24 33 210 0 39 636 641 individuals 19 18 101 210 26 35 210 0 39 639 20 23 101 208 24 33 208 0 38 635 (including families) 21 18 101 209 24 31 209 0 37 629 22 18 101 206 20 25 206 0 37 613 were utilizing shelter services in 23 18 101 208 19 31 208 0 36 621 Portland 24 18 101 209 24 29 209 0 36 626 25 18 101 209 25 26 209 0 35 623 26 18 95 208 24 34 208 0 35 622 27 17 95 209 24 36 209 0 35 625 28 18 97 208 25 32 208 0 35 623 29 18 97 209 23 34 209 0 34 624 30 17 97 209 22 34 209 0 34 622 31 17 97 211 27 34 211 0 34 631 Total 566 3,026 6,463 735 1,047 6,463 0 1,169 19,469 Avg/night 18 98 208 24 34 208 0 38 628 Highest 23 103 212 27 40 212 0 40 641 Lowest 14 92 204 19 25 204 0 34 613 Page 14  Non-LTS HOMELESS SERVICES CENTER & COMMUNITY OVERFLOW HOUSING PLACEMENT DATA LTS 35 2022 OSS Placements: Non/Long Term Stayer 30 25 20 15 10 6 2 3 4 4 3 3 7 4 5 4 6 8 6 7 2 1 5 4 1 1 1 4 0 January February March April May June July August September October November December 35 2023 HSC Placements: Non/Long Term Stayer 30 25 20 13 12 15 9 6 10 10 6 10 9 5 7 6 4 0 3 1 4 January February March April May June July August September October November December The 9 LTS placements had a cumulative 4,364 bed nights. Page 15  HOMELESS SERVICES CENTER PERMANENT AND TRANSITIONAL 2023 HOUSING PLACEMENT DATA 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Portland Auburn Biddeford Brunswick Gorham Lewiston Scarborough South Westbrook Other Maine Reunification Reunification Portland Towns with with friends/family friends/family in another in another Maine town* state* Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec TOTAL % TOTAL HOUSING PLACEMENTS 10 20 22 8 14 13 15 102 100% Portland 6 7 17 3 6 10 11 60 58.8% Auburn 1 1 2 2.0% Biddeford 1 1 1.0% Brunswick 1 1 1.0% Gorham 4 4 3.9% Lewiston 1 1 1 3 2.9% Sanford 2 2 2.0% South Portland 1 2 2 1 6 5.9% Westbrook 5 1 5 4.9% Other Maine Towns 1 1 1 3 2.9% Reunification with friends/family in another 1 1 1 Maine town* 3 2.9% Reunification with friends/family in another 1 1 5 Page316 1 1 state* 12 11.8%  FAMILY SHELTER PERMANENT AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PLACEMENT DATA 2023 30 20 10 0 Portland Auburn Augusta Biddeford Gorham Gray Lewiston Lyman Mexico Old Orchard Sanford South Westbrook Yarmouth Other Maine Out of State Beach Portland Town Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec TOTAL 100% TOTAL HOUSING PLACEMENTS 4 4 8 4 3 5 3 31 Portland 4 3 7 4 3 5 3 29 93.5% Auburn 0.0% Augusta 0.0% Biddeford 0.0% Gorham 0.0% Gray 0.0% Lewiston 0.0% Lyman 0.0% Mexico 0.0% Old Orchard Beach 0.0% Sanford 1 1 3.2% South Portland 0.0% Westbrook 1 1 3.2% Yarmouth 0.0% Other Maine Town 0.0% Out of State Page 17 0.0% 131ST LEGISLATURE FIRST REGULAR SESSION / FIRST SPECIAL SESSION: ADJOURNED SINE DIE ON 7/26/23 SHORT LIST OF KEY BILLS REVISED: 8/3/23 USEFUL LINKS • Maine Legislature Homepage: http://legislature.maine.gov/ • Sign up to Testify and/or submit testimony here: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/ Common Acronyms: AFA = Appropriations and Financial Affairs. HHS = Health and Human Services. OTP = Ought to Pass. OTP-AM = Ought to Pass as Amended. ONTP = Ought Not to Pass. Color code: Orange font = Budget bill; Black font = Homelessness related bill; Blue font = Service related; Green font = Housing/Rental Assistance related; Purple font = General Assistance & Safety Net related bills; Pink font = Food security related bills; highlighted in yellow = passed the House and/or Senate; highlighted in green = signed by the Governor and will become Public Law; Red text = the bill is now dead. BUDGET BILLS Bill # Sponsor Title Status & Committee Notes LD 258 Governor’s Bill Governor’s Biennial Budget Signed by the Governor As Amended (removes emergency preamble): • PART TT: This Part requires the transfer of $5,000,000 from the Click here for the bill as unappropriated surplus of the General Fund to the Maine State enacted as Chaptered Housing Authority, Housing Authority - State program, Other Law . Special Revenue Funds account. This Part also requires the State Controller, as the 5th priority transfer at the close of fiscal year 2022-23 only, after all transfers are made pursuant to statute, to transfer from the available balance of the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund up to $65,000,000 to the Maine State Housing Authority, Housing Authority - State program, Other Special Revenue Funds account. This Part also requires that up to $35,000,000 of the funds transferred under this Part must be used to fund the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program and the remainder must be used to fund the Low-income Housing Tax Credit Program. • PART AAAA: This Part establishes the Housing First Program within the Department of Health and Human Services to facilitate the delivery of stabilization and support services to residents of properties established or developed to provide permanent housing to persons who have been experiencing chronic homelessness and to fund technical assistance, administered by the Maine State Housing Authority, for the development of housing consistent with the program. The Part requires the department to ensure that funding supplements existing and future services provided under associated programs such as the MaineCare program and the housing outreach and member engagement provider program. The program is funded from the real estate transfer tax by depositing 1/2 of the funds that would otherwise be deposited into the General Fund into the Housing First Fund created by this Part. The Part authorizes 2 positions within the Department of Health and Human Services under the Housing First Fund. The Part directs the Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine State Housing Authority to jointly adopt rules to administer the program and requires them to report annually to the joint standing 1 Page 18  committee or joint select committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing matters for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the program. The Part also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for state plan amendments to align certain MaineCare rules with the Housing First Program.. See Budget Language Attachment for more information. • PART EEEE: Statewide Hunger Relief Program. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, on or before June 30, 2023, the State Controller shall transfer $2,000,000 from the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Statewide Hunger Relief Program, Other Special Revenue Funds account to provide funds for a grant for capital support to a Portland- based food security hub with partnerships or capacity for statewide distribution to enable increased production of hot meals each day for homeless, sheltered or food insecure persons. • PART KKKK: Department of Education to develop pilot program. The Department of Education's office of school and student supports shall establish a 2-year pilot program to help students avoid homelessness. As soon as funds are available for the pilot program, the department shall provide McKinney- Vento liaisons access to emergency financial assistance for the families of students in an amount up to $750 per student. Emergency assistance may be provided for services authorized for funding under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in addition to assistance for other housing- related needs such as rental assistance, utilities and critical home repairs and other assistance that will help a student avoid homelessness. • PART RRRR: Supporting Emergency Shelters to Address Homelessness: $12,000,000 from the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund to the Maine State Housing Authority, Emergency Housing Relief Fund Program, Other Special Revenue Funds account to provide funds for short-term emergency housing, legal services and other wraparound settlement supports intended to support individuals in becoming established in a community or in the workforce. (One-time funding) HOMELESSNESS BILLS Bill # Sponsor Title Status & Committee Notes LD 1422 Rep. Michael An Act to End Homelessness and Assist Students Passed to be Enacted, This bill establishes a housing voucher program for homeless students Brennan Who Are Homeless by Establishing a Housing placed on the Special under the authority of the Maine State Housing Authority and Voucher Program and Providing Site-based Appropriations Table appropriates one-time funding of $2 million in fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25. The bill directs the Maine State Housing Authority to identify Housing Services pending Passage to be 2 Page 19  Enacted – CARRIED 3 sites in Maine to be used for a site-based housing program and OVER appropriates one-time funding of $3.5 million in fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 to the Department of Health and Human Services to support the program. LD 1844 Rep. Poppy An Act to Support Emergency Housing Facility Signed by the This bill establishes the Emergency Housing Matching Grant Program Arford Construction, Renovation and Acquisition Governor to award grants at $10,000 per emergency housing bed up to Statewide by Creating a Matching Grant Program $1,000,000 per recipient to program providers to construct, renovate or acquire new or existing buildings to house emergency housing or shelter programs, including emergency housing 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and housing navigation and case management services in the building after occupancy. Recipients must match the grants on a one-to-one basis from a source other than state funding. The bill also includes an appropriations and allocations section. – total amount each year for the Program is $10,000,500 SERVICE BILLS Bill # Sponsor Title Status & Committee Notes LD 1050 Sen. Eric Brakey An Act to Request a Federal Waiver for Signed by the This resolve directs the Commissioner of Labor to request a waiver Presumptive Work Eligibility for Asylum Seekers Governor from the US Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services to allow an asylum seeker who has applied for asylum and has not been denied, eligibility to work in the State for the 6-month period immediately after applying for asylum while awaiting a final determination and for the time period while an asylum seeker's work permit has expired and is pending renewal. LD 1781 Rep. Drew An Act to Establish Permanent Funding for the Signed by the This bill establishes the Homeless Substance Use Disorder Gattine Homeless Substance Use Disorder Program Governor Service Program to provide rapid access to low-barrier treatment for substance use disorder and stable housing to support recovery. The program is similar to the homeless opioid users service engagement pilot project established in Resolve 2019, chapter 105, but the program is not limited to opioid use and provides additional services including transportation, community services and inpatient treatment services. The evaluation of the pilot project must be used to inform the rules implementing the program and the contractors and subcontractors of the pilot project must be included in developing the rules. HOUSING/RENTAL ASSISTANCE BILLS Bill # Sponsor Title Status & Committee Notes LD 2 Speaker Rachel An Act to Address Maine’s Housing Crisis In the possession of Included in the Budget Change Package. Talbot Ross the Senate when the This bill has been amended: Legislature Adjourned This bill establishes the Housing First Program within the – this bill is now dead – Department of Health and Human Services to facilitate the but included in the delivery of stabilization and support services to residents of Budget properties established or developed to provide permanent housing to persons who have been chronically homeless and to fund technical assistance, administered by the Maine State Housing 3 Page 20  Authority, for the development of housing consistent with the program. The bill requires the department to ensure that fund supplements existing and future services provided under programs like MaineCare and the Housing Outreach and Member Engagement Program is funded from the real estate transfer tax by depositing half of the funds that would otherwise be deposited into the General Fund into the Housing First Fund created by the bill. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine State Housing Authority to jointly adopt rules to administer the program and requires them to report annually to the Joint Standing or Joint Select Committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over housing matters for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the program. The bill also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to apply to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to align certain federal programs with the Housing First model. LD 1074 Sen. Matthea An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Public Hearing on 4/25 $100,000,000 bond issue to build new affordable housing for low- Daughtry Fund New Affordable Housing for Low-Income - AFA Committee – income households. Households Carried Over LD 654 Sen. Matthew Resolve, Directing the Finance Authority of Maine Signed by the This resolve directs the Finance Authority of Maine to establish a 2- Pouliot to Establish a Pilot Program to Encourage the Governor year pilot program to encourage the development of accessory Development of Affordable Accessory Dwelling dwelling units in the State. The program must buy down interest rates Units to levels below market rates for up to 100 community bank loans for accessory dwelling units until the program ends. LD 1706 Rep. Marc Malon An Act to Clarify Statewide Laws Regarding Signed by the This bill makes changes to provisions of law regarding affordable Affordable Housing and Accessory Dwelling Units Governor housing and accessory dwelling units by: 1. Removing from the definition of "affordable housing development" that the developer designates the development as affordable; 2. Clarifying that municipal approval of an affordable housing development for purposes of timing of the execution of a restrictive covenant means granting final approval, including issuing an occupancy permit; 3. Clarifying that setback requirements are just one type of dimensional requirements; 4. Changing language stating where housing is allowed or permitted to refer to where residential uses, including as a conditional use, are allowed or permitted; 5. Allowing accessory dwelling units on nonconforming lots, including in shoreland zones, if the accessory dwelling units do not further increase the nonconformity; 6. Allowing accessory dwelling units built without municipal approval, including accessory dwelling units in shoreland zones, if the accessory dwelling units otherwise meet state and municipal requirements for accessory dwelling units; and 7. Allowing municipalities to approve accessory dwelling units through a permitting process that does not require planning board approval. 4 Page 21 LD 226 Rep. Rebecca An Act to Address Maine’s Affordable Housing Passed to be Enacted, This bill provides one-time funds to MaineHousing in the amount of Millett Crisis placed on the Special $100,000,000 in fiscal year 2023-24 and in fiscal year 2024-25 (only Appropriations Table these FYs) to increase affordable housing stock in the State. pending Passage to be Enacted – Carried over LD 724 Sen. Cameron An Act to Expand Workforce Housing in Rural Signed by the This bill provides one-time funds in the amount of $10M each years in Reny Maine by Funding the Maine State Housing Governor fiscal year 2023-24 and fiscal year 2024-25 only to the Rural Affordable Authority's Rural Affordable Rental Housing Rental Housing Program within the Maine State Housing Authority for Program the development of smaller affordable rental housing projects. LD 1540 Rep. Rebecca An Act to Create the Stable Home Fund Program Emergency bill This bill, which includes an emergency preamble and emergency Millett requiring 2/3’s clause, creates the Stable Home Fund and the Stable Home Fund majority vote – failed Program within MaineHousing. The purpose of the program is to provide persons earning up to 60% of the median income for an area 2/3’s majority vote in as defined by HUD with $300 per month in rental assistance paid the House but Passed directly to the landlord for up to 24 months or until those persons in the Senate to be secure housing by means of a housing voucher program administered Placed on the Special by HUD under the United States Housing Act of 1937, Public Law 75- Appropriations Table 412, 50 Stat. 888, Section 8, as amended, or secure a subsidized on 6/21. Sent back to housing unit. The bill directs MaineHousing to administer the program the House for except that MaineHousing may delegate the administration of the concurrence where it program and provide appropriate funding from the fund to a failed 2/3’s needed for municipal housing authority with respect to eligible persons located final passage – Carried within the municipal housing authority's jurisdiction. over GENERAL ASSISTANCE & SAFETY NET BILLS Bill # Sponsor Title Status & Committee Notes LD 1426 Rep. Kristi An Act to Secure Housing for the Most Vulnerable HHS Committee – This bill: Mathieson Maine Residents by Amending the Laws Tabled at 5/22 Work 1. Requires an overseer, no later than the 120th day following Governing Municipal General Assistance Session – Carried over appointment or election, to complete training on the requirements of the municipal general assistance program; 2. Replaces, for determining the maximum level of assistance, the fair market value determination with setting the assistance at the equivalent amount of rental assistance provided for tenant-based housing choice vouchers under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 except that the benefit level may not be less than the difference between the applicant's income and 110% of the area's fair market rent; 3. Provides that if general assistance is being used to pay rent for an applicant whose rent is subject to a lease an overseer may redetermine the applicant's eligibility annually; 4. Increases from 70% to 90% the amount of state reimbursement for the costs of general assistance incurred by a municipality and each Indian tribe; 5. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse each municipality for 5% of the direct costs of paying benefits incurred through its general assistance program; 5 Page 22  6. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish and provide overseers with access to a statewide database for tracking applicants for the general assistance program and expenses relating to the program; and 7. Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide assistance to municipalities with regard to processing applications for the general assistance program and directs the department to establish a hotline that is available 24 hours per day in order to provide consistent, accurate advice to overseers. It also requires the department to respond to requests for assistance within 24 hours LD 1664 Sen. Marianne An Act to Increase Reimbursement Under the Passed to be Enacted, This bill increases, from 70% to 90%, the amount of state Moore General Assistance Program placed on the Special reimbursement for the costs of general assistance incurred by Appropriations Table each municipality and Indian tribe. pending Passage to be Enacted – Carried over LD 1675 Rep. Michael An Act to Amend the Laws Governing the General HHS Committee – This bill amends the law governing the General Assistance (GA) Brennan Assistance Program Regarding Eligibility, Housing Tabled at 5/22 Work program to provide that a municipality must calculate housing Assistance and State Reimbursement and to Session – Carried over assistance equivalent to the amount of rental assistance provided for Establish a Working Group tenant-based housing choice vouchers under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937. The bill extends the period of eligibility from one month to 6 months. Beginning July 1, 2023, when a municipality incurs net general assistance costs in excess of 0.008% of that municipality's most recent state valuation relative to the state fiscal year for which reimbursement is being issued, DHHS must reimburse the municipality for 90% of the amount in excess of these expenditures. The bill also directs the department to establish a working group to study and make recommendations related to a uniform intake process and the conversion of the GA program into a housing assistance program. LD 1732 Rep. Michele An Act to Expand the General Assistance Program HHS Committee – This bill changes the municipal general assistance program in the Meyer Tabled at 5/22 Work following ways: Session – Carried over 1. It requires overseers and designated or appointed municipal officials administering the program to complete training within 120 days of election or appointment; 2. It requires municipalities to accept applications for general assistance during regular business hours; 3. It amends provisions governing the municipality of responsibility to increase the provision of assistance from 30 days to 6 months when a municipality assists an applicant in relocating to another community and from 6 months to 12 months when an applicant is residing in a group home, shelter, rehabilitation center, nursing home or hospital or in a hotel, motel or other temporary housing; 4. It increases, from 70% to 90%, the amount of state reimbursement for the costs of general assistance incurred by each municipality and Indian tribe. It also provides that, if a municipality elects to determine need without consideration of funds from a municipally controlled 6 Page 23  trust, the State is required to reimburse the municipality for 66 2/3% of the amount in excess of expenditures; 5. It provides state reimbursement for additional program costs, including emergency general assistance, temporary housing, interpreter services and administrative expenses; and 6. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide the services necessary to support municipalities, including education and training for certain state employees, 24-hour technical assistance, written decisions and a database. FOOD SECURITY BILLS Bill # Sponsor Title Status & Committee Notes LD 568 Rep. Matthew An Act to Provide Funding for the State Fund to Passed to be Enacted in This bill provides ongoing General Fund appropriations of $600,000 to Pouliot Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition the House and Senate. the Fund To Address Food Insecurity and Provide Nutrition Incentives Incentives Placed on the Special within the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. The Appropriations Table – bill also removes the $50,000 limit on matching contributions from the Carried over fund criteria. LD 1612 Speaker Rachel An Act to Address Food Insecurity and Support Was in possession of the Included in the Budget Change Package. Talbot Ross Local Agriculture Senate when the This bill provides one-time funding for the Department of Agriculture, Legislature adjourned – Conservation and Forestry to contract with the Preble Street Food this bill is now dead – Security Hub to help address food insecurity throughout the State. The but included in department is required to report on the distribution of the funds by Governor’s budget Preble Street. 7 Page 24  Policy/Advocacy Update – Revised: 8/16/23 Federal Legislation Update BUDGET & FUNDING-RELATED ITEMS - Updates Debt ceiling & Proposed Federal Budget Cuts – No New Update – Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed into law the “Fiscal Responsibility Act,” an agreement to lift the federal debt ceiling until 2025 in exchange for capping federal spending programs at FY 23 levels in FY 24 and allowing an only 1% increase in spending in FY25. The bill also rescinds unspent COVID-19 relief funds, imposes more work requirements on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients, and reallocates funding previously provided to help the IRS audit higher-income households for other purposes. Because some HUD programs require additional funding annually, the debt ceiling agreement acts as a cut to affordable housing and homelessness assistance. In FY 24 alone, HUD needs an estimated $13 billion to $16 billion in additional funding just to maintain current levels of assistance. Senate FY 24 THUD Bill – New – On 7/20 the Senate T-HUD Appropriations Committee released its FY 24 spending bill. Overall, the bill provides $70.06 billion for HUD’s affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs, an increase of $8.26 billion (or slightly more than 13%) over FY23-enacted levels. However, HUD needs to increase funding by approximately $13 billion just to maintain existing levels of assistance. Though, the Senate draft proposes $1.86 billion more in funding for HUD’s vital affordable housing and homelessness programs than the draft spending bill released by the U.S. House of Representatives on 7/11. The Senate THUD bill provides increased funding for key HUD programs, particularly those vital to getting or keeping people with the lowest incomes housed. The bill proposes: • $31.7 billion for the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program ($1.48 billion more than FY 23). o Expected to be sufficient to renew existing contracts and provides funding for an additional 4,000 vouchers targeted to Veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness and youth aging out of foster care – including $30 million for VASH ($20 million decrease from FY 23) and $30 million for the Family Unification Program (FUP) • $15.7 billion for Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) program ($884 million more than FY 23). • $686 for Section 811 Mainstream vouchers ($78 million increase from FY 23). • $3.9 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG) program ($275 million increase from FY 23). Within this is: o $100 million for the construction, preservation, and operation of permanent supportive housing, and $31 million for capacity-building grants and technical assistance. o Language that would allow HUD to complete funds every other year, cut down on time and resources spent on paperwork, and allow service providers to focus on delivering assistance (aka 2-year NOFOs). • $1.5 billion for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) and the recently authorized Grants to Identify and Remove Barriers to Affordable Housing program. • $1.5 billion for the HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) (same as FY 23). • $4.5 billion for CDBG (decrease of $1.9 billion from FY 23). of that amount $3.3 billion is allocated for formula funding, while approximately $1.06 billion is earmarked for specific community development projects. The Senate proposal would also provide $100 million in funding for grants to identify and remove barriers to affordable housing – a $15 million increase from FY23. The program is zeroed out in the House draft. • Level funding for Section 202 Housing for the Elderly, Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities, Housing Counseling Assistance, and fair housing programs. House FY 24 Appropriation Bills (including THUD) – Update – On 7/27, the House Committee on Appropriations approved all 12 of its FY 24 appropriations bills, including the FY24 THUD spending bill. The bill proposes funding HUD at $68.2 billion, a $6.4 billion (or roughly 10%) increase to HUD programs over previously enacted levels. HUD needs an approximately $13 billion increase in funding over current levels just to maintain existing assistance. The spending bill proposes deep cuts to or even elimination of some HUD programs but appears to adequately fund most rental assistance programs. The bill would: • Fund Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) and Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) programs at levels that may be sufficient to renew existing contracts. • Provide a slight increase for HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants (HAG) program. Other HUD programs would face funding cuts, including: • The Public Housing Capital Fund, Public Housing Operating Fund, Section 811 Housing for Persons with Disabilities, and Section 202 Housing for the Elderly. • The HOME Investments Partnership Program would be cut by more than half. • Funding for several other programs – including the Family Unification Program, Incremental Vouchers, Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, and Housing Mobility Services – would be zeroed out completely. House Republican’s FY 24 Agriculture Appropriations bill – No New Update – on 5/17 House Republicans released their FY 24 agriculture appropriations bill which proposes policy changes and funding cuts to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), that would result in benefit cuts or loss of eligibility for millions of people. To adhere to the funding caps on annual appropriations proposed under House Republicans’ debt-ceiling-and-cuts bill, the proposal would cut WIC benefits for 5 million pregnant and postpartum participants and young 1 Page 25 children under 5. The bill also proposes including an expansion of SNAP’s existing work-reporting requirement to include older adults aged 50 to 55. These changes would put approximately 1 million older adults at risk of losing their SNAP benefits. BILLS – Updates HR 5221 Homeless Children and Youth Act Tenants’ Right to organize Act – New – On 8/15 Representatives Mikie Sherrill, Bill Posey, Delia Ramirez, and Don Bacon reintroduced the bipartisan Homeless Children and Youth Act. This bills remedies the issue of most children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness being ineligible for homeless assistance because they do not meet the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition of homelessness by aligning federal definitions of homelessness for children and youth, streamlining assistance, leveraging resources, and bringing greater visibility to the reality of family and youth homelessness. S 1557/ HR 3238 The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act – No New Update – Senator Angus King cosponsored bipartisan legislation to create nearly two million new affordable homes across the country – including thousands in Maine. The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to provide more homes for low-income people, support small businesses trying to attract workers, and fill the state’s gap of more than 20,000 affordable housing units. The bill would: • Increase the number of credits available to states by 50 percent for the next two years and make the temporary 12.5 percent increase secured in 2018 permanent—which has already helped build more than 59,000 additional affordable housing units nationwide. • Stabilize financing for workforce housing projects built using private activity bonds by decreasing the amount of private activity bonds needed to secure Housing Credit funding. As a result, projects would have to carry less debt, and more projects would be eligible to receive funding. S 1436, CHARGE Act of 2023 – No New Update – Introduced on 5/3 by Senator Jon Tester, this bill would permanently authorize additional services for Veterans experiencing homelessness that were authorized at the beginning of the pandemic. These services include: Basic essentials like food, shelter, clothing, blankets, and hygiene items; Transportation to appointments with service providers and conducting housing searches; and ways to stay in touch with providers and landlords, such as tablets, smartphones, and data plans. HR 3848, Housing Our Military Veterans Effectively Act of 2023 – No New Update – Introduced on 7/26 by Rep. Lori Chavez- DeRemer, this bill would revive crucial services authorized during the pandemic to provide lifesaving services under the Grant and Per Diem Program (GPD), which funds transitional housing programs for homeless veterans. These services include transportation to doctor appointments and food banks, communications devices for hearing impaired veterans, personal care products along with a dearth of other vital services and resources. that have led to a significant increase in the housing stability and improved the lives of veterans across the country. HR 645, the Healthy Foundations for Homeless Veterans Act, introduced in the House would authorize these additional services for an additional two years. S 1257, Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act – No new update – This bill was reintroduced in the Senate on 4/25 by Senators Van Hollen and Young. This bipartisan bill would create 250,000 new housing vouchers, paired with mobility-related services, to help low-income families with young children move to communities of their choice, including neighborhoods with high- performing schools and high-quality childcare and early education programs. S 24 / HR 516 Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act – No New Update – Introduced by Senator Feinstein in the Senate and Congressman Lieu in the House, this bill would authorize a grant program within the Health Resources and Services Administration for housing programs that offer comprehensive services and intensive case management for homeless individuals and families. The program would include five-year implementation grants to assist such entities in carrying out activities and paying capital building costs associated with the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals and families. S 680 DASH Act – No New Update – Reintroduced by Senator Wyden on 3/7, the DASH Act would make a generational investment to house all people experiencing homelessness, tackle the housing affordability crisis, and expand homeownership opportunities for young people by creating a new down payment tax credit for first-time homebuyers. The DASH Act would make stable, safe and decent housing available for all by: • Housing everyone experiencing homelessness within five years, and prioritizing children and families for placement, by issuing them a Housing Choice Voucher, because young children are heavily impacted by housing instability, and because housing is a chief determinant of health; • Expanding health, child care, financial and nutrition services for families and individuals to stay on a path to unassisted housing stability, because the climb out of housing poverty is nearly impossible to complete alone; • Greatly increasing the production of deeply affordable housing for families exiting homelessness and for low-income households by investing in effective, efficient existing programs and reforming the tax code to strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to weather the economic fallout from the pandemic, as well as establish a Renter's Tax Credit and Middle-Income Housing Tax Credit (MIHTC); 2 Page 26 • Investing in homeownership in underserved communities and for low income Americans with new tax credits and down payment assistance, including a down payment tax credit for first-time homebuyers; and • Incentivizing environmentally-friendly development strategies and land use policies. • Permanent authorization of appropriations for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act grants. HR 1708 Housing is a Human Right Act of 2023 – No New Update – On 3/22 Rep. Pramila Jayapal introduced the Housing is a Human Right Act of 2023, which would address root causes of homelessness, meet the needs of community members experiencing harms from homelessness, transition communities towards providing housing for all, end penalization of homelessness, and ensure full democratic participation and inclusion of persons experiencing homelessness, and for other purposes. HR 773 Homelessness and Behavioral Health Care Coordination Act– No New Update – On 2/2 Rep. Madeleine Dean reintroduced HR 773, the Homelessness and Behavioral Health Care Coordination Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Sylvia Garcia. This bill would help people experiencing homelessness and behavioral health issues, including substance use disorder, access critical supportive services by authorizing a grant program within HUD to help state and local governments, tribal entities, public housing agencies, and Continuums of Care better coordinate services for behavioral health, including substance use disorder and homelessness. S 255 Asylum Seekers Work Authorization Act of 2023 – No New Update – On 2/3 Senators Collins and Sinema reintroduced the Asylum Seekers Work Authorization Act of 2023, which would make asylum seekers eligible to receive work authorizations starting 30 days after filing an asylum application. Senator King is an original co-sponsor. On 3/1, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree reintroduced the Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act in the House. HR 9587 Tenants’ Right to organize Act – No new update – On 12/19 Rep. Andy Levin introduced the Tenant’s Right to Organize Act. Per NLIHC, the bill would “protect the organizing rights of tenants with Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) and tenants living in Low- Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties. Currently, only public housing tenants have a legally recognized right to organize. In extending the right to organize to HCV and LIHTC tenants, the bill recognizes that all tenants have the right to decent, safe, stable, and sanitary housing.” RULES/Other Federal Items of Note – No Update State Update: Please see the Bill Tracking document for the State legislature Update. 3 Page 27