The council shall advise the state authority with respect to the implementation of this chapter and the development of affordable housing. The council shall: [PL 2005, c. 380, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
1. Provide leadership. Provide leadership in efforts to end homelessness and provide support to the regional homeless councils by ensuring access to senior-level government officials and the Office of the Governor;
[RR 2015, c. 2, §20 (COR).]
2. Educate. Develop and coordinate an education campaign regarding homelessness;
[PL 2005, c. 380, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
3. Serve as coordinator of information. Serve as a coordinator of information and communication among state agencies and among the state, municipal and private sectors with respect to this chapter. In carrying out this duty, the council shall:
A. Review proposed legislative changes, system changes and resource recommendations from the regional homeless councils and compile the regional reports into a single statewide report; and [PL 2005, c. 380, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
B. Serve as a liaison with the federal Interagency Council on Homeless and recommend any necessary changes; [PL 2005, c. 380, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 2005, c. 380, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
4. Assess statewide needs. With assistance from regional homeless councils, develop estimates of statewide resource needs;
[PL 2005, c. 380, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
5. Identify potential resources. Identify new funding opportunities through private and public sources and assist in disseminating this information to regional homeless councils along with available grant opportunities;
[PL 2005, c. 380, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]
6. Assistance to homeless. In cooperation with the state authority, identify the resources available to and ways to increase access to services to the homeless and persons with special needs, identify the gaps in delivery services to this population and make recommendations concerning the policies and programs serving this population;
[PL 2007, c. 600, §3 (AMD).]
7. Review, monitor and implement plans. On an annual basis, review and comment on plans submitted pursuant to Title 34‑B, section 1221 and propose amendments and updates to and implement a plan to end homelessness;
[PL 2015, c. 465, Pt. B, §2 (AMD).]
8. Advise departments. Advise the Department of Corrections and the Department of Health and Human Services on issues related to homelessness and other issues related to the duties of the council; and
[PL 2015, c. 465, Pt. B, §3 (AMD).]
9. Develop strategic plan regarding homelessness among veterans. Develop strategies to enhance coordination and communication among agencies and organizations that provide services that seek to place veterans in permanent housing and that seek to improve access to services known to support housing stability for veterans who are experiencing homelessness or veterans who are at risk of homelessness. The council shall develop and periodically review a strategic plan that:
A. Establishes a baseline for homelessness in the State from which improvements can be measured. In determining the baseline, the council is not required to use the federal definition of homelessness and may include levels of housing instability or ranges of homelessness; [PL 2015, c. 465, Pt. B, §4 (NEW).]
B. Develops a method of measuring homelessness among veterans in the State to demonstrate whether efforts to reduce the number of homeless veterans in the State have been successful; [PL 2015, c. 465, Pt. B, §4 (NEW).]
C. Identifies specific processes for improving communication among agencies that provide services to veterans, including services unrelated to homelessness, that will facilitate identification of veterans in need of housing assistance or veterans who may be at risk of homelessness and maximize resources available to address homelessness among veterans; and [PL 2015, c. 465, Pt. B, §4 (NEW).]
D. Develops a framework and timeline for determining progress of communication and coordination efforts targeting homelessness among veterans and the effectiveness of those efforts in reducing homelessness among veterans. [PL 2015, c. 465, Pt. B, §4 (NEW).]
The Director of the Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services shall periodically report to the council regarding the progress of implementing the strategies described in this subsection. Beginning February 1, 2018, the director shall report annually to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over veterans affairs on the implementation of the strategic plan. The report must include, but is not limited to, the effect of the strategic plan on homelessness among veterans based on the measurements required to be established by this subsection.
[PL 2015, c. 465, Pt. B, §4 (NEW); PL 2019, c. 377, §6 (REV).]
