Homelessness

Resident Unhoused Population

The City's Homeless Task Force was activated to increase efforts in addressing our Resident Unhoused Population: people originating in Sanford/Springvale (or the close region) who have become or have been unhoused for an extended period due to various reasons. The Sanford Police Department's Mental Health Unit (MHU) tracks the number of contacts, conducts interviews, and maintains a database of the Unhoused and the associated reasons for being unhoused. The Task Force was activated in response to the rapid increase in the number of Unhoused individuals in the last year, particularly those facing financial struggles, mental health issues, and Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD). The Task Force is comprised of the following members:

• Sanford Mayor
• City Councilor
• Police Mental Health Unit
  • 2 Officers
  • 2 Social Workers (one focused on SUD and one on Mental Health)
• Sanford Housing Authority Director
• York County Community Action Executive Director and Director of Economic Opportunity
• Police Chief, Deputy Chief, and 2 Majors
• City Manager

The purpose of the meeting was to review both long-term and short-term services to address homelessness and to solidify the roles and partnerships that already exist across the City's Departments and with the Sanford Housing Authority, York County Community Action, and other regional or state service providers. The Task Force discussed the currently Unhoused Population:

• 142 Unique Contacts
• 105 Actively Engaged Unhoused
• 7 Unhoused individuals addressed last week and now off the list

The Resident Unhoused can be grouped into Four Major Categories:

• People who are Unhoused due to Financial or other Circumstances, not Mental Health or SUD-related.
  • Need Housing Assistance Funding or Gap Funds above current levels.
• People needing support or case management to become successfully housed.
  • Case Management – Short Term
• People with severe Mental Health and SUD that will require treatment and then case management, short term, to be successfully housed.
• People whose Mental Health and SUD have become so dominant that they will require long-term case management while being housed.

Extensive dialogue around these groupings, the associated services utilized or needed, the success or deficiencies of services, and capacities were then summarized into the following immediate and/or short-term actions:

The next Homeless Task Force Meeting is scheduled for August 14th, 2023, with additional attendees including the Sanford Fire Chief on the Community Paramedicine Program and the Assistant School Superintendent on the Student Unhoused Population.

The Long-Term Objectives, primarily capacity-based issues, were also noted around the Major Area, in preparation for the next Meeting with State Officials around the assignment of resources on August 15th, 2023. Recognition of the State’s allocation of resources around Homelessness and Sheltering Programs has been concentrated in certain Cities/Counties and not proportional within York County. The purpose of meeting with the State is to address York County’s, to include Sanford’s, capacities and State funding assistance to address Homelessness. The City, through the Police Department's Mental Health Unit, is also working to implement a Memorandum of Understanding with Maine Behavioral and Southern Maine Healthcare for more direct access to behavioral health referrals and services. Additionally, the City has Staff directly involved with the York County expansion of Layman’s Way, adjacent to the Jail in Alfred, to increase the capacity for Substance Use Disorder and evidence-based recovery programming for York County.

Resident Unhoused:
The number of unhoused people in Sanford is rapidly increasing, with the majority being local residents or from nearby areas. Previously, many of the homeless population suffered from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and mental health issues, leading to instability in work and housing due to lack of treatment. The creation of the Mental Health Unit (MHU) four years ago aimed to address these challenges and successfully reduced the homeless population for two years. However, the current systems are struggling with the growing crisis as the mix of homeless individuals has changed, now including economically impacted people not associated with SUD or mental health. This has resulted in a capacity shortage, presenting an overarching crisis.

Recent Statistics

• 136 unique contacts with MHU
• 104 Individuals are documented to be homeless – ½ of that population have been homeless for greater than a year.
• 116 mapped locations of active or recently active “campsites” in all areas of Sanford/Springvale.
• There are a number of current contacts with Seniors and Others who can no longer afford their past housing and cannot relocate to affordable housing given their income levels. These same people do not qualify for GA or public assistance.

Recent Impacts
The Peer Counseling Group closed its location on Washington St. as their lease was not renewed. They are funded and searching for a new facility with a kitchen, restrooms, and other services. However, their relocation status is currently unknown. As a result, many people who used to visit the center daily are now congregating and sleeping in Central Park and wandering at night.

Current Work

• Encampments have spread due to the lack of services downtown for the homeless, such as toilets, laundry, and showers. The Mental Health Unit (MHU) devotes considerable time to assisting people in these 116 known locations and beyond. Establishing a Centralized Services or Resource Hub is urgently needed.
• City Administration has set up a bi-weekly coordination meeting involving the MHU, YCCAC, and regional providers. The aim is to shift the focus from addressing asylum-seekers to providing the same level of attention to the resident homeless population. The manager is seeking two City Councilors to participate in regular bi-weekly meetings, and establish a reporting system with action items for the City Council.

The City and our partners are focusing on Short Term Solutions from now to year-end

Initial Assessment and needed Action Items are;

• Re-establishing the Counseling Center-(Need a location with bathrooms, showers, and kitchen)
  • Growth Council- Assisting with a location search
  • Locate a brick-and-mortar location for Maine Access Points Needle Exchange Program
• Researching Temporary Portable Housing Solutions
  • Find a Location
  • Criteria of Accountability to be Utilized
    • Must take Services to stay in Housing
  • Identify Community Partners Around Temporary Housing
• Standing Up Lafayette Warming Shelter and Resource Hub is critical to replace the Resource Hub and Peer Support Solution in the interim
• York County Shelter Program – Renovations to Dennis Hall to double the capacity of Shelter Space in York County
• State-funded Housing First- 44 Units minimum from Funds available starting in October

Areas with a lack of Capacity & State/Federal Resources to pursue;

• Mental Health Beds and Outpatient Services
• Substance Use Disorder – Evidence-Based Support for Counseling and Prescription Treatment
• Transitional Housing until Permanent Housing is Found
• Increase Permanent Housing Options
• Address the Incremental Deterioration of Enforceability for illegal activities resulting from unaddressed Homelessness.
  • The Police face challenges in summoning and DA struggles to prosecute offenses such as Criminal Trespass, Drug Possession and Use, Loitering, Littering, Illegal Entry, and others. The rising occurrences and overwhelmed capacities have led to gradual changes that restrict the use of previous enforcement tools. Reference the Homeless Crisis Protocol issued by the Maine Attorney General’s Office.

Asylum-Seekers (AS):

Starting May 1, 2023, the city has experienced an influx of asylum-seeking families, peaking at over 150 individuals. Initially, 28 families were provided emergency housing in hotel rooms under General Assistance Rules. After 30 days, they qualified for a monthly housing allowance, extending their stay by two weeks. Subsequently, they were evicted and placed in non-licensed shelters, which were later closed. A temporary gymnasium shelter was then offered by a church.

Running the Emergency Shelter faced challenges due to insufficient facilities and staffing. The shelter opened on June 15, 2023, and is set to close on July 20, 2023. The number of identified families increased from 28 to 35.

Current Status:

• 35 families are being assisted (previously 28).
• 27 families secured permanent housing (apartments).
• 23 families have already moved into apartments.
• 4 families will move into apartments within the next 10 days.
• 8 families are still searching for permanent housing (apartments).

By July 20, 2023:

• 4 families will move to private residences, pending housing placement within 10 days.
• 8 families will receive temporary housing through YCCAC while Housing Navigators search for apartments. If no apartments are found in 3 weeks, private homes have been assigned to each family.

The emergency housing and shelter needs of asylum-seeking families, currently totaling 35 families, are now fulfilled. Unfortunately, Sanford lacks the additional capacity to house more asylum-seekers. They must find qualifying housing for General Assistance assistance before receiving vouchers.

The City Staff, Departments, and YCCAC deserve recognition for their coordination efforts and support in addressing this issue.