Homeless Taskforce Update #13 (05/07)

An Administration Meeting was held to both report out and further defined scope of work to address the unhoused population in Sanford.

Recent Actions:

The Warming Center at the Lafayette School closed on Wednesday, May 1st. There was a maximum of 44 persons utilizing the Center. York County Shelter Program was able to place 25 individuals into shelter and permanent housing prior to closure. It is noted that the people that were placed did not/would not take services offered until the Center was at the point of closing for he season. The remaining people did not take services offered.

The Center served 197 unique clients over the past winter. Lafayette will continue to be a meals center through this summer with meals served Tuesdays and Thursdays.

It is a question if the location, Lafayette School, will be utilized for next year. Funding is not yet identified and there were a number of deficiencies with the Facility to running more than a temporary Warming Center.

The Housing Navigator Staff from the Housing Authority, Shelter, and YCCAC are now well coordinated in providing case management and the cross sharing of resources. The combined case management is finding multiple solutions for the unhoused population.

Advocacy and Funding:

A review of the outcomes from the last Legislative Session was made. The summary finds that the December 2023 advocacy for increased Shelter funding, non-low barrier, seemingly did not prove productive. Instead, one will see a multitude of funding went into the Maine Housing Authority to be competitively distributed to a number of entities providing housing and shelter services as follows;

• $13.5 million appropriation to the Emergency Housing Relief Fund to “supplement or establish programs addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness or facing other immediate housing needs and support other uses that address housing emergencies in the State, such as through winter warming shelters, legal services and other wraparound settlement supports intended to help individuals integrate into Maine’s workforce and communities.” (Committee Amendment “A” to LD 2214.);
• $2.5 million for low barrier shelters spanning fiscal years 2024-25 and 2026-27;
• $6 million to support services for victims of crime, particularly domestic violence victims (“The State funding will support community -based domestic violence and sexual assault services, civil legal representation for victims, government-based victim witness advocates, and housing and supportive services for elder abuse victims.” (Governor’s statement on the Supplemental Budget.))
• $10 million for new housing units through Maine Housing’s Affordable Housing Program (one time);
• $20 million for Maine Housing’s Affordable Rural Rental Housing Development Program and to use as a match to draw federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits to Maine (one time);
• $2 million to support services for homeless elementary and secondary students (one time);
• $18 million to fund a pilot rental assistance program, to support low income renters facing eviction.

General Assistance:

It was noted that the required supplemental budget funding for LD 1664 to bring State reimbursement for qualified General Assistance costs from 70% to 90% failed, unless revived during one of the now two planned Veto Days within the Legislature. The Bill carried a fiscal note of $8.0 M and it is estimated that the Legislature as committed all available resources short of $6.5 M still outstanding.

Community Policing:

The Police Department will start both bike and pedestrian Officers throughout the City starting May 20, 2024 in an effort to address conflicts within the public areas. If encountering a person who identifies as homeless, the Officers will work to establish a trust relation with people, offer available resources, and ultimately seek to coordinate services to end their current homeless state. This is the work formerly fully occupied by the Mental Health Unit within the Police Dept. but who have been directed back to addressing mental health responses throughout the City. Building trust and offering services overtime has proven the most effective means of influencing a positive change for a majority of people currently unhoused.

Heritage Crossing Encampment:

The was a population that utilized both the Warming Center and the Encampment area over this past fall and winter. Those who utilized the Warming Center ultimately have not returned to the Encampment. There is an estimated population of 10 or fewer people still using the site. Housing Navigators and Case Management services have been directly on site to put coordinated case management around the individuals. Those remaining have not taken available services.

The City will provide notification to the remaining population that the Encampment will be closed down by June 30th, 2024 in an effort to further entice people to take available services. The City finds the Site to be;

• A Public Health Hazard due to waste that is now entering the Mousam River
• A Public Safety Hazard as the Police respond to multiple calls to the location
• Coordinated Case Management and Services have been extended
• The Site is currently under development consideration for a Housing First Development of 30+ Units as well as a Resource Center.

The City will continue to work with multiple providers to individually identify services to address the unhoused situation of the people reaming and prior to June 15.