Bill > LD1170

This bill transfers responsibilities for surplus state-owned land from the Maine State Housing Authority to the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority. The bill requires the state to conduct an annual inventory of land owned by state and semiautonomous state agencies, identifying which lands are surplus and which are needed for other uses. When surplus land is identified, the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority will now have the first option to purchase or acquire the property before it can be offered to other buyers. The authority can use this surplus property to develop affordable housing for low-income and moderate-income households, and can provide the property below market value to organizations that agree to construct or rehabilitate affordable housing. The bill also requires the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority to adopt routine technical rules for implementing these land transfer and development processes. This change aims to streamline the management of surplus state-owned land and potentially increase opportunities for affordable housing development by centralizing the process under one authority.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=1170&snum=132