SP0142
LD 441
Emergency Signed on 2007-05-11 - First Regular Session - 123rd Legislature - Text: MS-Word, RTF or PDF LR 267
Item 1
Bill Tracking Chamber Status

An Act To Restructure the Board of Commissioners of the Maine State Housing Authority To Closely Match Local Authorities

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §4723, sub-§2, ¶B,  as enacted by PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 and Pt. C, §106 and amended by PL 1989, c. 6; c. 9, §2; and c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is further amended to read:

B.  The Maine State Housing Authority, as authorized by Title 5, chapter 379, shall must have 7 9 commissioners , 5 7 of whom shall must be appointed by the Governor, subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over economic development , and to confirmation by the Legislature. The 6th 8th commissioner is the Treasurer of State , who shall serve serves ex officio. The Treasurer of State may designate the Deputy Treasurer of State to serve in place of the Treasurer of State. The 7th 9th commissioner is the director of the Maine State Housing Authority , who shall serve serves ex officio , and who is chairman of the commissioners. The Governor shall appoint the chair of the commissioners from among the 7 commissioners. The 5 7 gubernatorial appointments must include, but are not limited to, representatives of bankers and of low-income or elderly people and at least 2 representatives of low-income people. One commissioner must be a resident of housing which that is subsidized or assisted by programs of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development or of the Maine State Housing Authority. In making this appointment, the Governor shall give priority consideration to nominations that may be made by tenant associations established in the State.

The commissioners shall elect a vice-chairman vice-chair of the commissioners from among their number. The commissioners of the Maine State Housing Authority shall establish and revise from time to time policies of the Maine State Housing Authority relating to the following particular matters:

(1) Standards of issuing, servicing and redeeming bonds;

(2) Purchase, sale or commitment to purchase mortgages or notes;

(3) Initiating project construction and accepting properly completed facilities;

(4) Setting and establishing selection and evaluation standards, criteria and procedures under which it will purchase, sell or agree to purchase loans, notes or obligations, having regard among other things to:

(a) Property values;

(b) Local economic conditions and expectancy;

(c) Credit and employment; and

(d) Local housing conditions and needs and the availability of credit resources to meet those needs relative to similar or competing conditions and needs in other localities in the State;

(5) Setting and establishing procedures for the servicing of loans, notes and obligations acquired by it, including the allowance of servicing fees to participating lenders to whom the Maine State Housing Authority may entrust such servicing;

(6) Setting and establishing procedures for the collection of money due from persons liable for payment, as to any loan, note or obligation held by the Maine State Housing Authority, by subrogation or otherwise, and to initiate and maintain any action at law or in equity, including foreclosure proceedings, to enforce payment;

(7) Setting and establishing procedures for the orderly liquidation and disposition of any property acquired by the Maine State Housing Authority through foreclosure or otherwise in full or partial satisfaction of any debt or obligation held by it; and

(8) Establishing and maintaining out of income or otherwise any reserves that the Maine State Housing Authority from time to time determines to be necessary and prudent in addition to those specifically required.

Following reasonable notice to each commissioner, 4 6 commissioners of the Maine State Housing Authority constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting its business, exercising its powers and for all other purposes, notwithstanding the existence of any vacancies. Action may be taken by the commissioners upon a vote of a majority of the commissioners present, unless its bylaws require a larger number.

summary

This bill changes the number of commissioners on the Maine State Housing Authority appointed by the Governor from 5 to 7, 2 of whom must be representatives of low-income people, to match the number of commissioners on local authorities. It also changes the manner in which the chair of the commissioners is chosen.


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