"Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to address the affordable housing crisis in Maine?"

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 and, if a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Act, the Governor shall proclaim the result without delay, and this Act 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 Act necessary to carry out the purpose of this referendum.

SUMMARY

The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $10,000,000, will be used for the Maine State Housing Authority to address the affordable housing crisis across the State by renovating or replacing affordable apartments and homes, by providing housing for people who are homeless, by reducing the costs of acquiring land for the development of new affordable housing, by providing predevelopment costs to nonprofit housing organizations and providing housing for mental health services consumers.