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February 15

Another View: Housing authority already does much of what reform bill calls for

What has been billed as a need for control by the agency's board is really all about politics.

By Peter Merrill, director of communications and planning at the Maine State Housing Authority

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Peter Merrill is the director of communications and planning at the Maine State Housing Authority.

Sen. Jon Courtney's Feb. 9 column defending proposed legislation to change the governance structure of the Maine State Housing Authority includes a list of issues to show that the board needs more control. The great irony is that each item is already under the board's control. To wit:

• Costs and approvals of affordable housing projects are governed by a rule approved by the board.

• Payroll and staff increases (both tied to increased workloads) were part of the agency's budget, which was approved by the board.

• Section 8 program administration is governed by a plan that is approved by the board.

• A bonus given to the staff was proposed by and approved by the board in recognition of successful fiscal restraints including no raises.

This is not about control, this is about politics. MaineHousing did not support or oppose the legislation but did offer suggestions to improve it.

Any changes, though, should be consistent with the guidance proposed by the Government Oversight Committee for the operations of quasi-governmental organizations. They recommend that the responsibilities of boards and the qualifications and responsibilities of directors be clear and that the conditions for removal be specified.

The board should hire and fire subject to a law specifying how those powers are wielded.

The most important point is the critical importance of the independence of the organization and the need for consistency in its work.

There has been a lot of political heat generated about MaineHousing by the Maine Heritage Policy Center and the state treasurer.

In a recent editorial, The Press Herald described these as "relentless efforts to oust" the MaineHousing director.

The Legislature should ignore transitory partisan politics and enact laws in the best long-term interests of Maine.

 

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