Homeless Task Force Meeting #15 (06/03)

The Task Force met again on June 3, 2024 focused on latest actions and the growing concerns around encampments and the ability to address. Providing Partners of York County Community Action, Sanford Housing Authority, York County Shelter Program, and City Administration coordinated across the following areas:

The Warming Center at Lafayette School has closed for the season yet continues to provide meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It was noted that utilization is anticipated to increase now that the facility is not both a warming center and meals, but now meals only.

The Draft of the City’s 19 Strategies for Communities to Address Encampments Humanely and Effectively per the U.S. Interagency on Homelessness was reviewed. The Partners noted that nearly all Strategies had either been completed, were significantly in progress, or were soon to be implemented due to the coordination across the Partners seeking to address the unhoused in the encampments. The 19 Strategies will be before the City Council on June 4, 2024 to be adopted with or without amendments to govern the address of encampments in Sanford.

Heritage Crossing Encampment was noted to have been growing in numbers with people coming from undisclosed areas as the Case Managers no longer recognize this new population. Communications for services continue as well as that the encampment will be closing as of June 15, 2024 due to the environmental, health and safety concerns current expressed.

A Resource Hub will be placed at the Heritage Crossing Site on or before June 11 through June 14, 2024 to provide the greatest opportunity for Case Management and opening to services as needed by those at the Site. The Resource Hub has served well in the past and is therefore being repeated. The Resource Hub will have Staff for Coordinated Case Management, Housing Navigation, Shelter Program, and Nasson Health Care to offer and coordinate services to meet individuals needs. Currently, there is capacity to meet the anticipated needs for rehabilitative and shelter services provided individuals will accept the offer of services.

People taking services will be provided resource containers for their personal paper work as well as a Storage Container is to be rented for larger personal belongings as may be needed.

City has been working with the State to request funding for a Street Outreach Worker to aid in maintaining contacts with the unhoused and to best coordinate the taking of services to reduce the length of time of being unhoused.

City is obtaining quotes for storage container and clean up services post closure.

Other notes; Maine DEP Water Quality Resources and Solid Waste have received complaints about the encampment adjacent to the Mousam River off Heritage Crossing and have put the City on notice that they will be onsite June 12th to access the Site and likely provide notice to correct.

The Police Department has also received communications from another Land Owner of an encampment that is to be closed. All the same services are to be offered to individuals within that encampment as well. The time for closure is to be determined.

The City continues to work with the Regional Service Providers to address the unhoused population. Currently capacity of services for alcohol, substance use disorder, mental health, and shelter services are identified and coordinated to address individual needs. Willingness to accept services continues to be an impediment.