Homeless Taskforce Update #11 (03/04)

The Task Force met again on March 4, 2024 to continue the multi-agency response to address the unhoused population in Sanford and the surrounding Region.

Task Force Representation was present from the Sanford Police and Mental Health Unit, Maine 211, Southern Maine Health Care, Maine Access Points, Caring Unlimited, United Way of Southern Maine, York County Transportation, York County Community Action, Sanford Housing Authority, and York County Shelter Program. City was represented by Mayor Brink, Manager Buck, Deputy Chief Small, Sgt. Colleen Adams, and Communications Director Wilson.

Legislative Advocacy for Funding to address Homelessness was reviewed. Exerts Below, Carter Friend, YCCAC.

LD 2136 – Shelter Funding. As you may recall, at the workshop on this bill the Housing Committee merged the bill with a companion bill (LD 2138 which called for additional funding specifically for low barrier shelters). The amended bill calls for $12 million for shelter support, with at least $2 million of that targeted to low barrier shelters. The Committee also amended the bill to include the creation of a Legislative Study Group and voted it out of committee Ought to Pass as Amended.

Housing Committee has directed the Statewide Homeless Council to submit a 10-year Plan.

Emergency Housing Relief Fund. The Governor’s Supplemental Budget includes $16 million for the Housing Relief Fund, to “ensure that winter warming shelters, lower barrier shelters, longer term shelters and transitional housing programs can remain open, operating, and supporting the emergency housing needs of Maine people.” At the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee hearing, there was support for this funding.

There are two concerns about the proposal. First, the language focuses on shelters and transitional housing programs, not more broadly on other programs as it has in the past. This may limit its use and not make it available for many of the programs such as landlord engagement, housing navigation and homeless outreach that we have found to be effective in York County. We would like to get clarification on this to ensure these services are included. Second, there is some concern that the Committee will fund the Governor’s request and consider that sufficient for shelters, and not fund LD 2136. Both Maine Equal Justice and Preble Street made clear that they should fund the Governor’s request and fully fund LD 2136 as well, but very few speakers at the hearing made that point clearly. Targeting the Relief Fund in this manner would also mean the it would not be available for other programs.

State General Assistance Law and reimbursement is primarily being tracked through LD 1664 to increase State reimbursement to municipalities from 70% to 90%, fiscal note of $8.0 M to fund. Legislative feedback indicates a more likely outcome would be for the municipalities to go from 70% to 80% for the ensuing fiscal year. It was noted that due to increased demand, the State supplemental Budget carries and additional $5.0 million to make the 70% reimbursement level in this current fiscal year.

Lafayette Warming Shelter continues to be full at 44 overnight Charis with an additional 35+ additional people per day visiting only for meals above those using the warming center overnight. The warming center will close on May 1st of this year and occupants are being advised of the timing. The warming center continue to provide a primary point of contact for case management and referrals to services. Lafayette will also continue to provide meals throughout the year after closing the overnight warming services.

Interviews and Staffing for the Peer Support Center at Lafayette are taking place this week. The Peer Support Center will operate year round and not close on May 1st for warming services.

Coordinated Entry and Case Management is ongoing with York County Community Action, Sanford Housing Authority, and York County Shelter Program around the use of their Housing Navigators, housing resources, housing vouchers, and for medical and other resource connections. Coordinated Assessments and creating Housing Stability Plans per person are ongoing. The more rapid implementation of Select Housing Vouchers from the Shelter Program is being accomplished by the Sanford Housing Authority being able to do Quality Assurance Inspections same day so as to not miss any opportunity to house any person timely.

Sanford Housing Authority has placed 78 unhoused people in the past 12 months. In the last 30 days, Caring Unlimited has placed 6 persons into stable housing, and Sanford Housing Authority has placed 7 people. The Shelter has taken 2 additional people and currently has capacity to take others, if and when others will accept the services.

The Coordinated Entry and Case Management is finding success by not focusing on the culture of scarcity and continuing to identify options for stable housing placement. Building the continuum of housing is key to open up the availability of housing needed at all levels.

York County Shelter Program (YCSP) indicates communications are ongoing with the Governor’s Office for the allocation of resources for additional staff and a van to continue to work remotely in the locations where unhoused people are present, and most comfortable, to offer and have services received. YCSP previously had administered this type of program called Operation Sundown. There are funds for this type of work in the Governor’s Supplemental Budget.

Outdoor encampments were reviewed and deemed that a stable housing plan should be the primary objective over intermittent address of the encampment areas. The large encampment off Heritage Drive was discussed as the property will likely become tax acquired to the City by March 28, 2024. Housing Navigators will make contact this week with any/all people still there and emphasize the need to work with them on a housing stability plan as there is current capacities to house them.

Several Providers noted that the spring time change typically invokes a stress response in people having seasonal or other depression and that they anticipate heightened calls for service at this time.

The State’s recent emphasis for more mental health intake sites across Maine was discussed as very favorable, although the newly proposed sites and capacities as well outside of reach for our Region. Emphasis to continue to advocate for increased capacities for mental health services as a leading factor in homeless populations as observed in our Region.

Mickey Williams – Maine 211 Coordinator address the Task Force for the first time. Her focus for 211 is to ensure that their data base and resulting responses are specifically tailored to the York County Region and our local needs. 211 took over 70,000 calls statewide last year with 7,000 of those calls originating in York County. The majority of calls were for heating assistance or housing. 211 has established cooperative services with Maine State Emergency Management as well as the same for York County. They have 24/hr multi-lingual capabilities to best direct people to the resources that are needed.

Key Initiatives were to;

Connect to the Region 1 HUB for York County to direct to the appropriate resources such as for case management and housing navigation, not yet established
Identify natural disaster resources during major storm events or flooding
Materials and data base resources to providers as well as callers

Recent Placements:

Caring Unlimited 7 housed last 30 days
Sanford Housing 6 housed last 30 days
Housed 85 new people in the last year
Two people into the YCSP

Sanford Housing Authority reported;

60 dedicated Project Based Vouchers Available for persons currently in need
HUD Awarded 5 additional dedicated HCVs
If moved to Project Based Housing, the Vouchers are freed for a future additional placement
YCSP has an additional 12 Vouchers of capacity