January 2025 - #PrebleStreet press release
"There are hundreds of people experiencing #unsheltered #homelessness in #Maine this winter, living outside in the cold… in parks, under bridges, beneath overpasses, and in many other places not meant for human habitation. Shelters are full across the state almost every night, and many people have nowhere to go. In Portland alone, the City of Portland’s Homeless Services Center, Family Shelter, and shelter for asylum seekers have been at or near capacity for much of the winter. Preble Street’s adult shelters (Elena’s Way and Florence House) are also full almost every night.
"Preble Street's low-barrier wellness shelter, Elena's Way, was at capacity nearly every night in the month of December.
"With area shelters at capacity and a #CampingBan policy in Portland, the Bayside neighborhood, where Preble Street and many other service providers are located, has become the center of Portland’s unsheltered crisis. Many of the people living outside and in Bayside have complex behavioral and mental health needs, only made worse by having to endure the elements and the cold. [And are too close to #WholeFoods and other retailers.]"
SO LET'S MOVE THE SHELTER FIVE MILES OUT OF DOWNTOWN!
https://www.preblestreet.org/2025/01/27/we-all-need-a-safe-place-to-call-home/