In June 2023, the Legislature directed the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF) to review opportunities and structural changes in state government and recommend ways to improve coordination and implementation of planning grants and technical assistance programs for communities and regional planning and development organizations. GOPIF collaborated with state agency leaders and staff to conduct dozens of focus groups and interviews with a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives of municipalities and regional planning and development organizations, to provide input about their needs.
This culminated in a report to the Legislature in 2023 that recommended the creation of the Maine Office of Community Affairs. Its establishment, consisting primarily of the Director's position, was funded in the 2024-25 supplemental budget passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Mills in April. Governor Mills announced Samantha Horn as the Office’s Director in October 2024.
The following existing State programs will be incorporated into the Office:
- Community Resilience Partnership (currently part of GOPIF)
- Maine Coastal Program (Department of Marine Resources)
- Maine Floodplain Program (Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry)
- Municipal Planning Assistance Program (Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry)
- Housing Opportunity Program (Department of Economic and Community Development)
- Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code/Code Enforcement (Office of State Fire Marshal)
- Volunteer Maine, an independent state office connected to the Department of Education that supports a stronger Maine through volunteerism.
The relevant state programs and staff will be transferred to the Maine Office of Community Affairs through proposals that are included in the Governor's biennial budget, to take effect by Fall 2025. The Office will also include, by spring 2025, a newly established State Resilience Office and staff to lead cross-agency efforts to enhance climate resilience across the state, especially in communities with significant climate vulnerabilities impacting residents, infrastructure, and the environment.