Maine § 244-B. - Replacement housing for tenants and certain others

§ 244-B.. Replacement housing for tenants and certain others

In addition to amounts otherwise authorized by this subchapter, the department shall make a payment to or for any displaced person displaced from any dwelling not eligible to receive a payment under section 244‑A which dwelling was actually and lawfully occupied by the displaced person for not less than 90 days prior to the initiation of negotiations for acquisition of the dwelling or in any case in which displacement is not a direct result of the acquisition of the dwelling or in such other event as the department prescribes. Payment shall be either:   [PL 1989, c. 208, §§15, 21 (AMD).]

1.  Lease or rent.  The amount necessary to enable the displaced person to lease or rent for a period not to exceed 42 months a comparable replacement dwelling, but not to exceed the amount allowed under the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, Public Law 91-646, as amended. At the discretion of the department, a payment under this subsection may be made in periodic installments. Computation of a payment under this subsection to a low-income displaced person for a comparable replacement dwelling must take into account the person's income; or

2.  Purchase.  An amount to be used towards the purchase of a dwelling as follows. Any person eligible for a payment under subsection 1 may elect to apply the payment to a down payment, including incidental expenses described in section 244‑A, subsection 1, paragraph C, on the purchase of a decent, safe and sanitary replacement dwelling. The person may, at the discretion of the department, be eligible under this subsection for the maximum payment allowed under subsection 1, except that, in the case of a displaced homeowner who has owned and occupied the displacement dwelling for at least 90 days but not more than 180 days immediately prior to the initiation of negotiations for the acquisition of the dwelling, the payment shall not exceed the payment the person would otherwise have received under section 244‑A, subsection 1, paragraph A had the person owned and occupied the displacement dwelling 180 days or more immediately prior to the initiation of negotiations.