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LD 901

Resolve, Directing The Maine State Housing Authority To Negotiate For The Purchase Of Or Acquire By Eminent Domain The Land And Buildings Commonly Known As The Bangor Mall

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Joe Baldacci and 3 co-sponsors

Directs the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority to identify Bangor Mall reuse options and prepare a plan and report, without authorizing immediate purchase or eminent domain.

Became Law without Governor's Signature
#bangormall #housingauthority #powersandduties
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Bill Summary · LD 901

Summary — LD 901 (132nd Legislature)

Title: Resolve, Directing the Maine State Housing Authority To Negotiate For The Purchase Of Or Acquire By Eminent Domain The Land And Buildings Commonly Known As The Bangor Mall
Status: Became law without the Governor’s signature (June 17, 2025)
Introduced: March 5, 2025

Purpose and intent

LD 901 was intended to prompt state action to address the future of the Bangor Mall property and to enable its redevelopment for beneficial public uses (including potential housing). The bill went through amendment in committee; the enacted resolve directs a redevelopment authority to identify and plan for beneficial reuse of the site rather than directly authorizing an immediate purchase or eminent-domain acquisition by the Maine State Housing Authority.

Key provisions (as enacted)

  • The final/engrossed version (as amended by Committee Amendment “A” (S‑182)) directs the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority to:
    • Take appropriate actions to identify opportunities for beneficial reuse of the buildings and land commonly known as the Bangor Mall.
    • Develop a comprehensive plan for reuse and submit the required report to the Legislature (the bill text as amended specifies planning and reporting responsibilities; the fiscal notes reference this plan/report requirement).
  • Committee Amendment A replaced the original proposal that would have directed the Maine State Housing Authority to negotiate for purchase of, or acquire by eminent domain, the Bangor Mall property.

Who is affected

  • Primary: Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority (charged with planning and reporting duties).
  • Secondary: Owners and tenants of the Bangor Mall property, the City of Bangor, local residents, developers, and potential future residents/users of any redevelopment (including housing providers).
  • Potential fiscal/administrative implications for the Maine State Housing Authority are reduced by the amendment; the final measure does not itself authorize state purchase or eminent domain.

Fiscal impact

  • Fiscal notes (05/06/25 and 06/03/25) estimate a minor cost increase to the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority to develop the comprehensive plan and submit the report.
  • Those additional costs can be absorbed within the authority’s existing budgeted resources.

Procedural timeline / key actions

  • Referred to Committee on Housing and Economic Development (March 5, 2025).
  • Work session held April 29, 2025; committee reported OTP‑AM with a divided report.
  • Committee Amendment “A” adopted in both chambers.
  • Finally passed (in concurrence) June 3, 2025 (House concurrence vote reported: Yeas 76, Nays 61, Absent 14).
  • Became law without the Governor’s signature on June 17, 2025.

Practical effect

The resolve mandates a formal planning and reporting process by the Maine Redevelopment Land Bank Authority to explore and recommend reuse options for the Bangor Mall site. It stops short of directing an immediate acquisition or exercising eminent domain in its final form, but establishes a state-led planning step that could precede future acquisition or redevelopment actions.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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