Three bills which have been scheduled for public hearings – one of which is the Maine Homeless Policy Committee’s shelter funding bill:
- LD 698, An Act to Sustain Emergency Homeless Shelters in Maine
- LD 641, An Act to Support Diversion Efforts to Address Homelessness in Maine
- LD 731, An Act to Prohibit Municipalities from Barring the Creation of Homeless Shelters.
LD 698 Information – Maine Homeless Policy Committee Shelter Funding Bill:
Summary: This bill provides ongoing funds to support emergency homeless shelters in the State – $5,000,000 in each year of the biennium.
Talking Points: Attached
The Public Hearing is being held Tuesday, 3/18 at 1:00pm in front of the Housing and Economic Development Committee, and written testimony can be submitted online. The attached talking points were created by Andrew Lardie and Mollie Fenney. Thank you both for putting these together!
To submit testimony, click this link: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/
- Click on Public Hearing, then choose the Committee and then the date of the hearing: Housing and Economic Development, 3/18/25 at 1:00 PM
- Choose the LD# you are looking for: LD 698
- You can upload a file or type your testimony in the open box. Once you have provided the rest of the requested information you will check the box next to “I’m not a robot” and finally click the Submit/Register button.
LD 641 Information – Diversion Funding:
Summary: This bill provides one-time funds in fiscal year 2025-26 and fiscal year 2026-27 only for the Housing Problem Solving Program ( $750,000 in each year of the biennium).
Talking Points:
- Our homeless service system is at capacity and overflowing.
- We have more inflow into the homeless system than we do outflow which is playing a role in our stuck system.
- Diversion programs funded through MaineHousing have been successful, but they were not statewide and have all reached capacity.
- We need additional diversion resources to keep people from entering our system.
- Please pass LD 641 so that Maine has the resources it needs to end and prevent homelessness.
The Public Hearing is being held Tuesday, 3/18 at 1:00pm in front of the Housing and Economic Development Committee, and written testimony can be submitted online.
To submit testimony, click this link: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/
- Click on Public Hearing, then choose the Committee and then the date of the hearing: Housing and Economic Development, 3/18/25 at 1:00 PM
- Choose the LD# you are looking for: LD 641
- You can upload a file or type your testimony in the open box. Once you have provided the rest of the requested information you will check the box next to “I’m not a robot” and finally click the Submit/Register button.
LD 731 Information – Preventing Municipalities from Barring Homeless Shelters:
Summary: This bill prohibits municipalities from enacting or enforcing ordinances that prohibit the creation or operation of a homeless shelter.
Talking Points: Attached
The Public Hearing is being held Wednesday, 3/19 at 10:00am in front of the State and Local Government Committee, and written testimony can be submitted online.
To submit testimony, click this link: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/
- Click on Public Hearing, then choose the Committee and then the date of the hearing: State and Local Government, 3/19/25 at 10:00 AM
- Choose the LD# you are looking for: LD 731
- You can upload a file or type your testimony in the open box. Once you have provided the rest of the requested information you will check the box next to “I’m not a robot” and finally click the Submit/Register button.
Please forward this to each of the three Regional Homeless Councils, the Statewide Homeless Council, and ESART, and please post this on Maine Homeless Planning for the Maine Continuum of Care or otherwise distribute this to attendees.
On behalf of the Maine Homeless Policy Committee, thank you for taking action. Cullen