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Amend the bill in section 1 in §4765 by striking out all of subsections 1 and 2 (page 1, lines 6 to 23 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
 
‘1.  Fund established.     The Homeless Veterans Housing Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established. The fund is administered by the Maine State Housing Authority as an interest-bearing, nonlapsing fund. The fund may include appropriations, allocations and credits for inclusion in the fund, grants and gifts from outside sources and interest earned from investments from the fund. The purpose of the fund is to provide housing solely for homeless veterans and the immediate families of homeless veterans. For purposes of this section, "immediate family" includes a spouse, domestic partner, dependent children and primary caregiver.
 
2.  Fiscal year 2015-16 credited funds from Treasurer of State.     The Maine State Housing Authority shall disburse all funds received from outside sources for the fund and $1 of funds credited to the fund by the Treasurer of State in fiscal year 2015-16 for every $3 received from an outside source to a nonprofit volunteer organization planning to construct housing for homeless veterans and their immediate families on the grounds of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in the Town of Chelsea for the purpose of constructing the housing, as long as prior to the construction of the housing the nonprofit volunteer organization enters into a service agreement with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs that describes the resources and services that both entities will provide to the homeless veterans who will receive housing funded under this section. The service agreement must also include a commitment by the nonprofit volunteer organization to use the utility services provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The nonprofit volunteer organization may request funds to be disbursed from the fund for the construction of housing for homeless veterans under this subsection on an as-needed basis, as long as the nonprofit volunteer organization enters into a service agreement with each homeless veteran who will receive housing under this section. The service agreement must describe the resources and services that will be provided to the homeless veteran by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the nonprofit volunteer organization.
 
3.  Annual report.    Beginning January 15, 2016, a nonprofit volunteer organization that has constructed housing for homeless veterans under this section shall provide an annual report on the quality of the housing and services provided to homeless veterans to the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over veterans affairs.’
Amend the bill by inserting after section 2 the following:
‘Sec. 3.  37-B MRSA §513-A  is enacted to read:
§ 513-A. Inspection of housing for homeless veterans
The director may conduct quarterly site inspections of the housing constructed for homeless veterans on the grounds of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in the Town of Chelsea pursuant to Title 30-A, chapter 201, subchapter 3-C in order to ensure that the housing has been constructed in accordance with applicable quality control standards.
Sec. 4. Transfer from fund. On June 30, 2017, the Maine State Housing Authority shall transfer from the Homeless Veterans Housing Fund, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 4765, subsection 1, to the General Fund an amount equal to the amount credited to the fund by the Treasurer of State in fiscal year 2015-16 that was not matched by funds received from outside sources.
Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
HOUSING AUTHORITY, MAINE STATE
 
Homeless Veterans Housing Fund N187
 
Initiative: Allocates funds to be matched 3-to-1 by outside sources for the construction of housing for homeless veterans by Volunteers of America on the grounds of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in the Town of Chelsea.

OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS	2015-16	2016-17	
All Other	$1,000,000	$0	
			
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL	$1,000,000	$0	
 
’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment adds the following provisions to the bill.
1. It adds a provision to ensure that the housing provided by the Homeless Veterans Housing Fund will be constructed for homeless veterans and their immediate families.
2. It adds a provision to require that Volunteers of America enter into a service agreement with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs prior to construction that describes the resources and services both entities will provide to homeless veterans receiving housing funded by the fund.
3. It allows Volunteers of America to request funds from the fund, as long as the organization enters into a service agreement with each homeless veteran receiving housing funded by the fund that identifies the resources and services that will be provided to veterans by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and by Volunteers of America.
4. It authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management to conduct quarterly quality control site inspections of the housing constructed for homeless veterans on the grounds of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in the Town of Chelsea.
5. It adds an annual reporting requirement from Volunteers of America to the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over veterans affairs.
6. It includes a provision requiring that Volunteers of America use utility services of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
This amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section to the bill.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)