Committee votes to advance Mocha-led review of manufactured‑housing law

The Committee on Housing and Economic Development advanced LD 364, a resolve directing the Maine Office of Community Affairs (Mocha) to absorb and review functions related to the Manufactured Housing Board and to return recommended legislation.

Director Samantha Horn of Mocha told the committee Mocha would administer the program administratively during the interim, conduct outreach to listed stakeholders and provide recommendations to the 133rd Legislature about whether a board should be retained and, if so, what structure it should have. "We would be running the program administratively within the agency ... and then as we come back to the 133rd, we would be making recommendations about what that longer term setup needed to be," Horn said.

Committee members amended the resolve to require at least one public meeting with adequate notice and to broaden stakeholder consultation; the Committee then voted unanimously to report that LD 364 "ought to pass as amended." The roll call recorded a unanimous vote of members present.

What it means: the vote directs Mocha to draft recodification language, preserve Maine’s HUD authorization where required, consult municipalities, industry and residents, and return an actionable package for the next Legislature that includes recommendations on board membership and governance. Mocha and staff told the committee they would provide technical assistance materials and coordinate with other agencies during the drafting period.

Next steps: Mocha will hold public meetings as directed, refine draft language and deliver a report with proposed legislation and implementation details to the Legislature on the timeline set by the resolve.