#unaffordablehousing — Public Fediverse posts

More of this please...!

#TogetherPlace in #BangorME willing to serve as warming shelter

October 15, 2026

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - "The Bangor Government Operations Committee will review a proposal next Tuesday to open an as-needed warming shelter this winter.

"The plan was discussed at Tuesday night’s city council workshop. It would have Together Place operate the shelter based on weather criteria at an estimated cost of $106,000 for up to 60 nights.

"City staff say heating assistance funds, GA reimbursement, and a Community Development Block Grant could cover the cost.

"The committee will also consider funding requests from The Manna for $7,000 and The Well warming center for $15,000.

"CDBG has been determined to be the most appropriate source of funding."

@newsbot @justbob

https://www.wabi.tv/2026/10/15/bangor-committee-review-winter-warming-shelter-proposal/

#Homeless #Unhoused #Homelessness
#Maine #WarmingShelter #WarmingShelters #WarmingCenter #WinterIsComing #WorkingPoor #Maine #WinterShelter #HomelessServices #MainePol #UnaffordableHousing #HousingCrisis #HeatingFuel #TrumpsWarOnIran

Well then. Will it be ready by TOMORROW NIGHT?!!

#PortlandME makes plans for new winter #WarmingShelter

By Katie Delaney, October 14, 2026

"Two nonprofits have stepped up to host and operate a nightly warming shelter in Portland this winter, but there are steps city leaders need to take before it can open.

The city operated a warming shelter last year for the first time but was limited by financial and staffing restraints.

The Portland City Council held a special workshop Tuesday night to discuss the proposed winter warming shelter. It would be located downtown on the peninsula, making it more accessible than last year’s location on Riverside Industrial Parkway.

The Biddeford nonprofit Seeds of Hope has offered to operate the shelter.

Preble Street plans to host the warming shelter in the basement of Elena’s Way, its shelter on Oxford St.

City leaders said it would cost about $688,000, with MaineHousing covering about half of that.

The warming shelter the City of Portland operated last year was criticized for not opening on some particularly cold and stormy nights. The shelter only opened when conditions reached certain temperature and snow thresholds.

'We don't have the resources in terms of the staffing or the building to be able to pull this off on our own, and we're really open to partnerships to help us move this forward,' Maggie McLoughlin, Portland Health and Human Services director, said.

The new shelter would run nightly with room for 45 to 55 people.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, city leaders said there are some challenges with the proposed shelter location, and not much time to figure them out before the shelter is supposed to open in November.

“The planning board’s approval for Elena’s Way had certain conditions that would make operating a warming shelter there this winter impossible,” Dena Libner, assistant city manager, said. “With that, we have a couple options for the council that would require the council’s guidance.”

The council went into executive session at the meeting to discuss those options and get legal advice on how staff can move forward with the proposed shelter.

Public comment was open at the meeting, but only for people who wanted to comment on whether the council should go into a closed-door meeting, not on the substance of the proposal.

Several people spoke up saying they opposed the executive session, wanting the plans to be transparent. Many of them also said they want to share their opinions on the warming shelter plans.

Libner said updates on the warming shelter are expected to be discussed at the next city council meeting on Monday night. She added that people will likely be able to voice their thoughts then."

@newsbot @justbob

Source:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/portland-makes-plans-for-new-winter-warming-shelter/ar-AA2eeYOr

#Maine #Homelessness #WinterIsComing #WinterShelter #Unhoused #HomelessServices #MainePol #UnaffordableHousing #HousingCrisis #HeatingFuel #TrumpsWarOnIran

Staying Warm in York County

"Currently, there is no warming center being operated in the City of #SanfordME.

"The State has provided funds to #SeedsOfHope in #BiddefordME to operate the #YorkCounty #WarmingCenter. For transportation assistance, individuals can contact the Sanford Police Department at 207-324-3644. Additionally, those seeking sheltering services are encouraged to contact York County Shelter Programs at 207-324-1137 for support.

"If you need shelter, please contact York County Shelter Programs—no one should be out in this cold, and they are here to help. The shelter has staff available 24/7 to discuss shelter options, help create a plan to get you inside, and answer any questions you may have. Please do not risk staying out in this cold. If you need a meal and a warm place to rest but do not wish to stay overnight, that is okay too.

"For those who have asked how to support the shelter: If you would like to donate supplies for the emergency shelter, the residents have compiled a wish list of items, available here: https://a.co/1vBdgcw.

"Monetary donations can be made online at www.yorkcountyshelterprograms.org or via Venmo at @ycsp-donations.

"Thank you for your support, and please stay warm!"

@newsbot

https://www.sanfordmaine.org/news_detail_T10_R141.php

#UnaffordableHousing #Homeless
#HousingCrisis #Maine #SouthernMaine #SanfordMaine #MainePol #Homelessness #WarmingShelters
#WinterIsComing

And why are folks using the abandoned Mill? Because the ONLY #WinterShelter was closed in 2024! Oh, and this is a PERFECT USE FOR OLD SCHOOLS!!!

#SanfordME - Some Find Housing After #WarmingCenter Closure

By Lee Burnett, Submissions Editor
May 3rd 2024

"The closing of the warming center at former Lafayette School on April 30, 2024, sent folks in four different directions, according to York County Shelter Programs. About half are getting beds indoors.

"Many people are going back to living in tents, such as at Heritage Crossing in the Mill Yard, according to YCSP’s Executive Director Megan Gean Gendron. Others are choosing to move to the emergency shelter on Shaker Hill in Alfred, the Layman Way Recovery Center on Route 4 in Alfred, or more permanent situations.

[...] "People returning to encampments are probably going to tents that were never taken down during the winter, according to Gendron. 'I think many people moving back kept their space there. There’s a community there. People watched over their stuff.'

[...]

"The shelter was at capacity of 44 every night in recent months and stayed open longer than other warming centers around the state, said Gean Gendron. 'We were one of the last to close,' she said. 'And we saw the justification for that in these last two April storms. If we had closed, we would have had a very dangerous situation.'

"Gendron said it’s too early to say what options exist for a warming center next winter [NONE!!!]. Lafayette School is not laid out well for meals service and overnight stays in zero gravity chairs. It’s centrally located, but there was some friction with the neighborhood. 'Lafayette School was not ideal, but it was available,' she said. 'Sanford needs to think very hard about this. Not just Sanford. Other communities.' "

@newsbot

Full article:
https://sanfordspringvalenews.com/some-find-housing-after-warming-center-closure/

#UnaffordableHousing #Homeless
#HousingCrisis #Maine #SouthernMaine #SanfordMaine #MainePol #Homelessness #WarmingShelters
#WinterIsComing

Fast forward to 2026...

Omitted from the Yahoo News version of the story...

"They actually live here. So all of you that are running for office out there, think about that. They live here. They have their whole lives just like you. They just encountered different circumstances than everyone sitting in this room," Sanford Police Chief Eric Small said.

#SanfordME council votes to close #HeritageCrossing indefinitely near abandoned mill

Wed, October 14, 2026 at 12:12 PM EDT

"Heritage Crossing will remain closed indefinitely following a Sanford City Council vote Tuesday night, as officials continue efforts to keep people out of the abandoned International Woolen Mill complex.

"Sanford police removed six people from the former mill on Tuesday and charged them with criminal trespassing, Sanford Police Chief Eric Small said during Tuesday's meeting. Three of those people had outstanding warrants and were taken to York County Jail.

"Despite signs and paint marking the property as a no-trespassing zone, police continue to encounter people entering the vacant buildings to seek shelter, Small said.

" 'What you're asking to approve tonight is important,' the police chief told city councilors before the vote. 'That we get it done, that we approve it, and we give the police and fire a tool to make sure nobody's down there.'

"The council's decision follows an emergency declaration issued last week by City Manager Steven Buck, who cited ongoing public safety concerns at the deteriorating mill complex, including structural hazards, fire risks, and repeated unauthorized access.

"Police and fire crews have responded repeatedly to reports of people entering and occupying the buildings. City officials have tried to secure the property by closing access points, but new entry points continue to appear.

"Officials have also expressed concern that colder weather could increase the likelihood of fires inside the vacant structures. A major fire could endanger nearby properties, emergency responders, and the surrounding Historic Mill District. A fire at the mill in October 2025 was ruled #arson.

"The city initially closed the portion of Heritage Crossing bordering the mill complex to vehicle and pedestrian traffic at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, as part of the emergency declaration. The closure was intended to establish a safety perimeter and allow city departments to secure the property.

"The indefinite closure approved Tuesday will keep the road shut as the city continues addressing safety concerns at the site."

@newsbot

Source:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/sanford-council-votes-close-heritage-161229454.html

#UnaffordableHousing #Homeless
#HousingCrisis #Maine #SouthernMaine #SanfordMaine #MainePol #Homelessness #WarmingShelters
#WinterIsComing

So, #Homeless folks were blamed for the fires. But there was some talk of the absent owner hiring people to start them!

#SanfordME - Officials Investigate Mill Fires

October 30th 2025
By Lee Burnett

"Homeless people apparently set multiple fires on the top floor of the vacant International Woolen Mill on Monday, according to the Sanford Fire Department.

"The fires are under investigation by Sanford Police and the Maine State Fire Marshal’s office.

"Fire was reported shortly before 9 a.m. with flames showing above the roof, according to Southern Maine Scanner Alerts. Firefighters discovered the fourth floor filled with smoke from 'four or five' fires, according to Assistant Chief Brian Watkins. Eventually, six ladder trucks arrived. Because of evidence of occupation by homeless people, 'the entire building had to be searched,' he said.

"It appears the fires were deliberately set using flooring, other scavenged materials and 'whatever they could find,' Watkins said. 'The police department knows all the players.'

"Sanford police declined comment on the fire and referred questions to the State Fire Marshal’s office. The State Fire Marshal’s office did not return messages by press time.

"Mario Frati of Miami, FL is the owner of the four-story, 90,000-square-foot building. At one time, he had ambitious plans to redevelop the building [into housing for the #Homeless ] in cooperation with the city, but relations deteriorated. Frati now owes five years of back taxes on the building, according to Tax Collector/Treasurer Erin McMann. As tax liens have matured, the city has waived the right to foreclose on the property, which she said is done when ownership involves adverse consequences."

@newsbot

Read more:
https://sanfordspringvalenews.com/officials-investigate-mill-fires/

#Arson #AbsentOwner #UnaffordableHousing #Homeless #HousingCrisis #Maine #SouthernMaine
#SanfordMaine #MainePol #Homelessness

@newsbot The wooded area near the Mill was swept in 2024 but folks soon returned (and some of the mill buildings burned in 2025). Unlike a lot of cities, Sanford does provide public bathrooms and showers for the #Unhoused, but there's no shelters, or even a #WarmingCenter !

Sanford takes progressive approach on homeless camps as tents spike

As of Nov. 29, 153 people were living outside in Sanford – a striking number compared to the same time two years ago, when the city counted just 10.

By Gillian Graham, Staff Writer, 12/11/2023

SANFORD — "It’s been 10 months since Jeff and Tami Sandler were forced to move out of their home.

Ten months of taking it 24 hours at a time. Tens months of wondering what comes next. Ten months of living in a tent in the woods and dreading the rain and cold.

“ 'We never thought we were going to make it through the first week,' said Jeff Sandler, 55. 'We thought this was how it was going to end.'

"They live off her $930 Social Security disability income, though he says he’s also disabled and unable to work and should be approved for his own benefits soon.

"After losing the room they rented for several years for $860 a month, the Sandlers were unable to find another apartment they could afford. Their only choice was to move into a small tent in a wooded area behind a business park in south Sanford.

"The number of homeless people in Sanford has been growing rapidly in recent years.

"Two years ago, this small city of 22,000 counted 10 homeless people. At the end of November, there were 153.

[...]

"In all of York County, there are only 36 emergency shelter beds, and all of them are full. They are located at the York County Shelter Programs in Alfred, which has a long wait list and requires residents to be sober and mentally under control."

Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2023/12/11/theyre-all-in-survival-mode-sanford-takes-progressive-approach-on-homeless-camps-as-tents-spike/

Archived version:
https://archive.li/EWrk3

#UnaffordableHousing #Homeless #Unhoused #HousingCrisis #Maine #SouthernMaine #SanfordMaine #MainePol #Homelessness #WarmingShelters

[Thread] So, back in 2024, the city of #SanfordME cleared out a #HomelessEncampment in a wooded area near an abandoned mill. Since Sanford has NO #HomelessShelters (not even a #WarmingCenter), folks had no choice but to take up shelter in the nearby abandoned mill building. And, of course, there was a fire, though some of it was still standing. Despite repeated sweeps, folks kept coming back to the mill building (though now the city has closed off the street). And Sanford still has NO shelters or options for their #unhoused residents!

'They don't care': Sanford to dismantle homeless camp as residents face uncertain future

by WGME Staff, Mon, June 17, 2024

SANFORD (WGME) -- "Sanford city leaders say a homeless encampment at Heritage Crossing is a health hazard and they plan to dismantle it on Monday.

"But many of the 60 to 80 people living there, in tents and cars, say it's the only home they've got.

"They say the city has done nothing to help them.

" 'Trying to get #housing help is a joke because there is none. Why isn't the city doing something for us? Why do I have to live in my car like this? The city doesn't care. They don't care about any of us. We’re considered bad people, I guess,' said Roberta Doherty, a Sanford native who is living out a car.

"Sanford City Manager Steve Buck says case managers have been offering services and space at local shelters [OUT OF TOWN] to people living here. But he says many campers are unwilling to take them up on their offers.

" 'There is capacity to meet the anticipated needs for rehabilitative and shelter services provided individuals will accept the offer of services. It's not necessarily that there are 30 apartments waiting [BULLSHIT! THEY HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN BUILT], but there's shelter services that is not a tent in the woods,' Buck said.

"Those 30 apartments he's referring to are plans by the Sanford Housing Authority to build a new 30-unit apartment building with support services exclusively for people experiencing homelessness. [STILL WAITING...]"

cc: @newsbot

Read more:
https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-housing-crisis-sanford-to-dismantle-homeless-camp-as-residents-face-uncertain-future-homelessness-heritage-crossing-shelter

#UnaffordableHousing #HousingCrisis #Maine #SouthernMaine #SanfordMaine #MainePol #Homelessness #WarmingShelters

What a joke! Un-affordable senior housing!

"The property includes 61 1-bedroom apartments, ranging in price from around $1,300 to $1,500 a month."

Dozens of new affordable 55+ apartments available in Westbrook

by WGME Staff, September 30, 2026

https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-housing-crisis-dozens-of-new-affordable-55-apartments-available-in-westbrook

#Maine #MainePol #WestbrookME #UnaffordableHousing #HousingCrisis #SeniorHousing

#AI, #datacenters , health care among top concerns for #CommonGroundFair attendees

The #MaineMonitor
Mon, September 28, 2026

"Despite an initially wet and windy forecast, the sun shone at the 2026 Common Ground Fair this weekend, delighting fairgoers, many of whom stopped by The #Maine Monitor booth to voice their support for local independent journalism and share their thoughts on the important issues facing the state.

"Several candidates stopped by The Monitor booth, including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree and independent gubernatorial candidate Rick Bennett, plus Matt Dunlap, a Democrat who is running to represent Maine's 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House.

"When asked for their thoughts about what the next governor of Maine should prioritize, fairgoers identified a wide range of issues, which they wrote down on sticky notes displayed at The Monitor booth.

"Affordable housing remained a concern, as it has in previous years. But other issues also rose to the surface: Many said they wanted regulation around artificial intelligence and data center development, and the expulsion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from the state. Health care costs and access were also prominent concerns, with several voicing support for universal health care. 'Protecting democracy and protecting the environment,' as Sunny from Searsport put it, were also on the minds of fairgoers."

Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/data-centers-health-care-among-175312138.html

#MainePol #AI #Datacenters #AIDatacenters #UnaffordableHousing #UnaffordableHealthcare #UniversalHealthCare #HousingForAll #ICEOutOfMaine

Where High Rents Drive People Into Poverty

A new study identified 10 locations where higher-than-average housing costs have impacted poverty the most.

By Elizabeth A. Harris, Sept. 29, 2026,

"The #HousingShortage in the United States not only drives up rents, it is also a significant driver of poverty, according to a new study released by the Pew Charitable Trust on Tuesday.

"The study examined parts of the country where lowering home prices would lift a significant number of people out of poverty — similar in effect to a major anti-poverty program — at a moment when the national conversation around housing has gained urgency at every level of government.

"The analysis found that in nine states and Washington, D.C., poverty rates are 16 to 34 percent higher than they would be if housing costs were the same as the national average. Most of those states are on the East Coast — #NewJersey, #Massachusetts, #Maryland, #Connecticut, #NewYork and #NewHampshire. #Hawaii, #California and #Colorado also made the list. The analysis was based on research by Zachary Parolin, a professor at the University of Oxford, who examined census data to determine the states where housing costs contributed to the greatest share of poverty.

"In New Hampshire, the poverty rate, as defined by the federal poverty line, is 16 percent higher than it would be with average housing costs. In Hawaii, the poverty rate is 34 percent higher. In most states included in the study, the rate of child poverty was even more elevated."

Read more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/realestate/housing-shortage-poverty-link-pew-study.html

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/DvAih

#USPol #Homelessness #HousingForAll #UnaffordableHousing #HousingForAll #HousingCrisis #HousingInsecurity

Hey @justbob , I was just posting about the #PortlandME #WarmingShelter being closed last winter! Looks like they got more funding!

#MaineHousing announces nearly $3M in grants for #winter #WarmingShelters

Miles Bergquist
Tue, September 29, 2026

"MaineHousing announced $2.7 million in grants Tuesday for warming shelters to buy more beds ahead of winter.

"The money will be distributed among 12 organizations that provide short-term shelters, adding another 474 beds for #unhoused people in Maine.

"According to the housing authority, the award stands as the largest in five years and will bolster efforts to combat the housing crisis in eight of nine Maine 'homeless service hubs,' centers meant to cover all 16 counties.

"Warming shelters offer a place to stay overnight in cold temperatures, which can prove dangerous for those without protection from the elements. Most are open through the end of April.

"MaineHousing says the money may also be used for staffing, supplies, transportation, and other standard operating expenses.

" 'Dangerous winter weather can put lives at risk, especially for people experiencing #homelessness or housing instability,' MaineHousing Director Dan Brennan said in a press release. 'These grants help communities open safe, heated spaces before severe cold arrives.'

"The grant is part of a wider goal to keep vulnerable Mainers warm, MaineHousing said. Other programs they offer include the Home Energy Assistance Program and the Energy Crisis Intervention Program, meant to reduce heating costs for those who need it.

"Funds for this grant were made available by the Mills administration and the Maine Legislature."

cc: @newsbot

Source:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/mainehousing-announces-nearly-3m-grants-212425325.html

#Maine #PortlandME #OpenTheWarmingCenters #HousingForAll #HousingCrisis #Homeless #StopTheSweeps #EmergencyShelters #WinterShelters #MaineShelters #HousingCrisis #UnaffordableHousing

#Trump is pushing to institutionalize #homeless people. That may include #veterans

by Quil Lawrence, June 25, 2026

Excerpt: "More than 30,000 U.S. military veterans are homeless, according to the latest government data from an annual one-night 'point in time count.' That number is down significantly in the past decade, which most experts credit to a straightforward combination of robust funding and a philosophy focused on offering housing without prerequisites, called housing first.

"While the Trump administration has promised new housing for vets, President Trump also signed an executive order last year titled 'Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets,' which leans heavily toward institutionalizing #HomelessPeople against their will. This winter, NPR obtained slides describing a proposed #VeteransAdministration plan called '#SafeHarbor,' which would include veterans in that shift to involuntary treatment. Then, in March, the VA put out a memorandum of understanding with the Justice Department about state court guardianship for veterans." [!!!]

@justbob

Read more:
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/25/nx-s1-5866754/trump-institutionalize-homeless-veterans

#HomelessVets #HomelessSweeps #Houseless #USPol #Unhoused #UnaffordableHousing
#Housing #PoliceState #Fascism #SilencingDissent #DetentionCenters

WTF! #HolbrookMA DPW workers arraigned for allegedly attacking sleeping #homeless man

by Tim Nazzaro, July 9, 2026

HOLBROOK, Mass. — "Two brothers who work for the Holbrook, Massachusetts, Department of Public Works were arraigned Thursday for allegedly attacking a sleeping homeless man in a town park last month.

"Jesse Baxter, 32, of Holbrook, and Jake Baxter, 28, of Randolph, were charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot), assault and battery on a person over the age of 60, and witness intimidation.

"A not guilty plea was entered on their behalf.

"They were arraigned in Quincy District Court, where a judge set $1,500 bail for Jesse and $500 for Jake.

"Both men are expected to post bail and were ordered to stay away from the victim and #BrookvillePark.

"They will return to court for a dangerousness hearing at a later date.

"Both Jesse and Jake have been placed on paid administrative leave from the DPW.

"According to a Holbrook police report, officers responded to the area of Linwood Street overnight on June 20 for a report of an injured man knocking on residents' doors and yelling.

"Responding officers found the man covered in blood and bruises.

"According to the man, he was sleeping in his tent in the Brookville Park area around 12:30 a.m. when he was attacked by two men he didn't know." [Allegedly, they were there to attack a DIFFERENT homeless man that they had an argument with.]

@justbob

Read more:
https://www.wcvb.com/article/holbrook-brothers-charged-homeless-man-assault/71884480

#HomelessEncampments #Houseless
#USPol #Unhoused #UnaffordableHousing #Housing #RoughSleepers

#Oregon - What homeless are saying as #SalemOR, ODOT clear downtown encampments

by Whitney Woodworth, 7/14/2026

"Kaitlyn Schwartz joined dozens of other campers under the Center Street off-ramp on July 13 in packing up her belongings and figuring out where she would sleep next.

" 'This is not living,' she said. 'We’re only surviving.'

"The 23-year-old said she tries to keep a clean camp and look out for others.

" 'I'm trying to make a difference,' she said.

"While she's young, many people living in the #encampments are older and vulnerable. Schwartz said she's been the target of sexual violence and theft and has witnessed drug overdoses.

"Some people lose everything they own when a sweep occurs.

" 'How is anyone supposed to live like this?' she asked."

@justbob

Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/what-homeless-are-saying-as-salem-odot-clear-downtown-encampments/ar-AA27PBzq

#HomelessEncampments #HomelessSweeps #Houseless #USPol
#Unhoused #UnaffordableHousing
#Housing #RoughSleepers #PoliceState

From 2024: The Supreme Court says cities can punish people for sleeping in public places

by Jennifer Ludden, June 28, 2024

"In its biggest decision on homelessness in decades, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that cities can ban people from sleeping and camping in public places. The justices, in a 6-3 decision along ideological lines, overturned lower court rulings that deemed it cruel and unusual under the Eighth Amendment to punish people for sleeping outside if they had nowhere else to go.

"Writing for the majority, Justice Gorsuch said, 'Homelessness is complex. Its causes are many.' But he said federal judges do not have any 'special competence' to decide how cities should deal with this.

" 'The Constitution’s Eighth Amendment serves many important functions, but it does not authorize federal judges to wrest those rights and responsibilities from the American people and in their place dictate this Nation’s homelessness policy,' he wrote.

"In a dissent, Justice Sotomayor said the decision focused only on the needs of cities but not the most vulnerable. She said sleep is a biological necessity, but this decision leaves a #homeless person with 'an impossible choice — either stay awake or be arrested.' "

@justbob

Read more:
https://www.npr.org/2024/06/28/nx-s1-4992010/supreme-court-homeless-punish-sleeping-encampments

#HomelessEncampments #Houseless #USPol #Unhoused #UnaffordableHousing #Housing #RoughSleepers #PoliceState

okay, I will never be able to find this post again but months ago someone on here posted a listing for an actually relatively "affordable" condo downtown, and it was low key stressing me out because the apartment did not have enough room for both a bed and, like, a living-room area. Like maybe if you had a sofa bed. And what if you wanted bookshelves, or a desk?

The front door and sliding door were not lined up, so if you wanted to, say, wheel a bike through there, you'd have to manoeuvre around the furniture.

anyway a while ago I hit upon a solution: put the bed in the closet. Maybe take off the closet door and make it a little alcove. Only works for shorter people, I think.

So many condos here are built with as small of units as possible and not actually designed for people to live in, because they're marketed at "investors" who just want to rent it out to other people. Like we ain't talking cute tiny houses that make optimal use of space. It's just "what is the bare minimum we need". Same with the whole building, they often have convoluted paths to the elevators, confusing layouts, etc., rather than the straightforward "one hallway with elevator in the middle" you see in old apartment buildings. Yes I used to do food delivery lol

#toronto #UnaffordableHousing #InteriorDesign

https://www.europesays.com/people/61792/ Mamdani May Get His Rent Freeze After All #AffordableHousing #apartments #Housing #landlords #RentFreeze #RentGuidelinesBoard #RentStabilizedApartments #StreetFights #tenants #TheRealEstate #UnaffordableHousing #ZohranMamdani

https://www.europesays.com/people/12455/ Cea Weaver Is in Her Element at the Rental Ripoff Hearings #AffordableHousing #apartments #CeaWeaver #encounter #Housing #hpd #MayorsOfficeToProtectTenants #OurMayor #RentStabilizedHousing #tenants #TheNewYorkPost #TheRealEstate #UnaffordableHousing #ZohranMamdani

This is downright shameful.
#HousingCrisis #UnaffordableHousing

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/americans-choose-rv-life-economy-challenges-housing-market-cost-rcna231942?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Click%20here%20&utm_campaign=NBC%20NEWS%20EXCLUSIVE%3A%20Priced%20out%20of%20traditional%20housing%2C%20more%20Americans%20are%20living%20in%20RVs

Let me see... #UnaffordableHousing, cuts to #FoodAid and #Medicaid. But hey, #Unhoused folks are the ones responsible for being poor?!! What's next? #SoylentGreen dump trucks to scoop up folks?! #HungerGames? We all know where this way of thinking leads...

#Trump’s #Military #Crackdowns Are Only Going to Get Worse

#LA and #DC are only the beginning, as the president’s team has been drawing up plans to unleash federal forces in other Democratic strongholds

Tricia McLaughlin, #DHS on Faux News: “You look at #LosAngeles, #Chicago, #Boston, and #NewYork — they’re also facing record numbers of homicides and violent crimes. It’s natural for us to look at Washington, D.C. — if we can really clean this up and we can get rid of this plague of crime and violent activity that’s happening in our nation’s capital — could that be a blueprint and a model for other communities around the country? It’s something I think President Trump wouldn’t shy away from. We’ll have to stay tuned.”

By Asawin Suebsaeng, Ryan Bort
August 13, 2025

Excerpt: "Rolling Stone reported in October 2024 that Trump and his team have been plotting a second-term takeover of the D.C. police for a long time — regardless of the actual level of unrest or street crime. The plotting extends far beyond the nation’s capital.
In recent months, according to government officials and other sources with knowledge of the situation, administration staff and lawyers have crafted detailed plans and menus of options for Trump to feed his desire for replicating and proliferating his militarized crackdowns — on #immigrants and #citizens alike — to different Democratic strongholds.

"National Guard troops are already mobilizing in D.C., and Trump has privately said, according to two sources familiar with the matter, that if he sees something that he feels crosses his line (like if street protests in the city grow too big or if he deems them a threat suddenly), he will gladly order larger numbers of troops to nation’s capital, as he did in Los Angeles earlier this year.

"Trump has insisted to administration officials that it’s ridiculous that troops like National Guard members are not allowed to conduct various forms of domestic law enforcement, sources add. The president and his administration to some extent have had their hands tied on this due to the #PosseComitatus Act — which prohibits using the military for domestic law enforcement — though that isn’t stopping them from actively exploring ways around the law. 'There are ways things were done, and that’s not always going to be how they should be done now or tomorrow,' a senior Trump administration official tells Rolling Stone."

Read more:
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-military-crackdown-get-worse-1235406382/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/7dtjZ

#FascismInTheUSA #TrumpSucks #FashPatel #DHS #NationalGuard #MilitarizedPoliceForce #Fascism #TaxBreaksForTheRich #CutsForThePoor #CharacteristicsOfFascism #USPol

Trump says homeless should leave D.C. "IMMEDIATELY" — after floating federal takeover of capital

By Joe Walsh
Updated on: August 10, 2025

"The president likely doesn't have the authority to fully federalize the capital city — unless Congress repeals a 1973 law that gave the city's residents the power to elect their own mayor and city council. He can temporarily take over the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department if he 'determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist which require the use of the Metropolitan Police force for federal purposes,' but it's not clear that the legal conditions are met."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-says-homeless-should-leave-d-c-immediately-after-floating-federal-takeover-of-capital/

#IllegalTakeover #Gestapo #Fascism #Authoritarianism #Unhoused #InvestorOwnedHousing #UnaffordableHousing #Inflation #MAGADepression #CharacteristicsOfFascism #FascismInTheUSA #Capitalism #Corporatism

This article is from 2022, but I'm sure the problem has gotten way worse! Also, any #HUD studies about this have disappeared off of government websites, and of course, #VOA has had their funding cut!

Investors Snap Up Affordable Homes, Especially in Black Neighborhoods

October 15, 2022 6:32 AM
By Dora Mekouar

Excerpt: "The housing situation in Parramore isn’t unique. It’s being repeated in major U.S. cities across the country. More than 13% of all homes sold in 2021 were sold to investors, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). First-time homebuyers are 30% of the market right now. In a healthy market, 40% of buyers are first-time homebuyers, NAR says.

" 'It's been very difficult for homebuyers to find affordable or #StarterHomes. And when they're buying lower cost homes, they're competing with #investors who are coming in with cash offers and that's difficult to compete with,' says Anne Ray, a researcher at the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida.

"It’s a trend that accelerated during the pandemic, according to NAR.

" 'We have seen, during the pandemic especially, that investors, whether it's a mom-and-pop investor or an institutional investor, are coming into the marketplace for rental properties,' says Jessica Lautz, NAR’s vice president of demographics and behavioral insights. 'Investors are jumping into the market understanding there's demand for rental properties and this allows them to actually increase rents and to have this as an investment property that can be income generating.'

"And technology is making it easier for investors to buy affordable homes on a large scale.

" 'I think what's relatively new is these large investors picking up lots of properties and using a lot of automated tools and working at scale to acquire properties,' Ray says. 'That used to be harder to do.'

"When prospective buyers can’t afford to buy, the ripple effect can extend to the rental market.

" 'It also makes it more difficult for other people to find affordable rental housing,' Ray says, 'because people who would have moved on from a rental to an ownership unit are staying in the rental unit.' "

https://www.voanews.com/a/home-investors-buy-into-black-neighborhoods-displacing-long-time-residents-/6786585.html

#HousingForAll #Unhoused #AffordableHomes #Racism #UnaffordableHousing #USPol #TrumpSucks #AISucks #CorporateLandlords #Greed

Renting in #Maine is #unaffordable, but it’s the best option in #NewEngland

by Kathleen O'Brien July 23, 2025

"Someone earning minimum wage needs to work 61 hours a week to afford a modest one-bedroom apartment in Maine.

"Maine, like last year, was ranked 26th, which makes it more affordable than any other state in New England. That’s because someone needs to earn $28.42 per hour to afford a two-bedroom unit in Maine — nearly double Maine’s current minimum wage of $14.65 — according to the study."

Read more:
https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/07/23/business/business-housing/high-rent-prices-maine-best-option-new-england-joam40zk0w/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/NezVH

#UnaffordableHousing #CorporateLandlords #InstitutionalInvestors #InvestorOwnedHousing #Unhoused #PrivateEquityFirms #CorporateCriminals #HousingForAll #LessMallsMoreHousing #LessOfficeSpaceMoreHousing

From Emma Paling at The Maple, a great piece about the challenges of political campaigning and community organizing in condos across Canada: https://www.readthemaple.com/how-canadas-condo-class-has-disrupted-political-organizing/

#UnaffordableHousing #housing #CDNpoli #urbanism

When I first moved to #PortlandME (back in the late 1990s), it was $750 a month for a three-bedroom apartment in a triple decker building which included a front room (parlor), living room (old dining room), a kitchen, a backroom (pantry), a porch, and basement storage! Now the same unit (assuming one can find one to rent, since many are now condos) would be $4,000 a month! No wonder just about everyone I know has moved away, and the couple friends who are left were able to buy years ago, but are getting priced out because of property taxes (one friend works 2 jobs just to cover their ass, and is thinking about selling).

#UnaffordableHousing #PortlandMaine #Gentrification #GentrificationSucks!

So, in #PortlandMaine, they built a new homeless shelter -- on the outskirts of the city! A location that's hard to get to unless one has a car (I know, I used to live out that way). Don't want all the rich folks who have moved into the city to see all the people that unaffordable housing has displaced!

Concerns rise over safety of unhoused community in Portland after recent deaths

The two men were discovered dead in the woods near a walking path commonly used by those experiencing homelessness in the area.

by Pearl Small, February 11, 2025

PORTLAND, Maine — "Concerns are growing about the safety of Portland's unhoused community—especially during Maine's frigid winter months—after the bodies of two men were discovered along a well-traveled path between a grocery store and the city's new homeless shelter.

"Portland police confirmed that William Liese and Lee Thomas Johnson were found dead Monday morning in a wooded area near Hannaford and the Portland Homeless Services Center (HSC). Their cause and manner of death have not been determined.

"The city had activated its emergency warming center the night before due to the cold temperatures.

"A city spokesperson stated that the HSC had available beds that night and did not turn anyone away. Staff working the warming center at First Parish Church also did not turn anyone away, according to the executive director of Commonspace, the group that runs the center.

"However, Courtney Bass, an advocate for those experiencing homelessness, argued that a warming center should be open 24/7, not just during extreme weather conditions. 'The 15 degrees and/or 10 inches of snow is a huge problem,' Bass said.

"Currently, the city's emergency warming center only opens when temperatures drop to 15 degrees or below, or when snowfall exceeds 10 inches.

"Henry Myer, director of Preble Street's Elena's Way Shelter, acknowledged the challenges the unhoused face, emphasizing that funding is a major barrier to operating shelters and warming centers around the clock.

:"However, Myer pointed to another issue—the location of shelters. The HSC operates 24/7, but it is five miles from many key city resources and can be difficult for individuals to reach if they miss public transportation." [Exactly!!! And do they have bus money? Not to mention there's only one bus that runs out that way!!!]

Read more:
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/public-safety/concerns-safety-unhoused-community-portland-two-deaths-homelessness/97-bd2b63c4-a37e-4a5e-9d89-b20f6e1ed678
#Unhoused #UnaffordableHousing #PortlandMaine #BellRiots

#AtlantaGeorgia rethinks clearing #HomelessCamps after a man is crushed inside his tent

By JEFF MARTIN
Updated 3:39 PM EST, January 31, 2025

ATLANTA (AP) — "Atlanta leaders are reconsidering how they dismantle homeless camps after a man was crushed inside a tent as a bulldozer destroyed makeshift homes in preparation for Martin Luther King Jr. holiday events.

"Cornelius Taylor was living in the camp a few blocks from Ebenezer Baptist Church, the King family’s congregation, where dignitaries gather for each year’s commemorative service. A march was held from downtown to the church that same weekend.

"Now, Taylor’s family is planning a Monday funeral at the same historic church, and then a horse-drawn carriage will carry his coffin to City Hall so that people there 'can see who they killed,' said his sister, Darlene Chaney.

"The U.S. Supreme Court [#SCOTUS] ruled last year that cities across the country can enforce bans on homeless camping. But clearing the camps — as #NewOrleans did ahead of Taylor Swift’s concerts there — remains controversial."

Read more:
https://apnews.com/article/homeless-atlanta-ebenezer-mlk-ff421e31ebc13dc53919190074931c42
#USPol #SoaringRents #UnaffordableHousing #AffordableHousing #HousingForAll #EvictTheRich #TinyHouses #Unhoused #EmptyOfficeBuildings #EmptyMalls #NoExcuse!

#Landlords gouge victims of #LAFires

by Judd Legum and Noel Sims, Jan 14, 2025

"The devastating fires in Los Angeles have killed 24 people. The fires have burned tens of thousands of acres, and hundreds of thousands of #Angelenos have been forced to evacuate. The blaze has destroyed at least 12,000 structures and thousands of people have nowhere to live.

"For most people, this is a horrific tragedy. But numerous landlords in the area are treating it as a #MoneyMaking opportunity.

"A review of rental listings revealed dozens of properties where the landlords have sharply increased their prices since the fires began on January 7. Popular Information used Zillow to identify rental homes in communities near the areas impacted by the fires — including #PacificPalisades, #SantaMonica, #ManhattanBeach, #HuntingtonBeach, and the #SanFernandoValley — that have increased their asking price over the last week.

"While not every rent increase is evidence of #exploitation, the timing and scale of many increases strongly suggest #PriceGouging is occurring.

"In Manhattan Beach, for example, Popular Information identified a five-bedroom home listed on December 31, 2024, for $8,750 per month. By Monday, the rent was bumped up 125 percent to $19,750 monthly.

"But it is not only luxury properties with ocean views whose prices have skyrocketed in the last week.

"A three-bedroom home in #Tujunga, listed for $4,100 on December 28, was increased to $8,500 on January 7, the day the Pacific Palisades fire broke out, 93 percent higher than its initial listing price."

Read more:
https://popular.info/p/landlords-gouge-victims-of-la-fires
#PredatoryLandlords #CapitalismKills #CapitalismMustDie #RentGouging #Unhoused #California #UnaffordableHousing #Housing

“This is worse than Cuba”: Thousands of Mobile Home Residents in #Miami Fight Eviction by #AffordableHousing Developer

December 7, 2024, By Adam Weaver, Robin Young, and Juan Verala Luz of the #BlackRoseAnarchistFederation via #IGD

"A new fight over housing has erupted in the Miami suburb of #Sweetwater, culminating in local police tackling and arresting an elderly resident leader. On November 13th thousands of residents living in the massive 900 unit Li’l Abner Mobile Home Park received a surprise notice taped to their doors, on top of garbage bins, and strewn around in dark puddles on the property, announcing they had only months until they would be displaced from their homes. Those who were aware and could understand these notices quickly spread awareness to those who didn’t or couldn’t, as soon residents will have nowhere to go.

"Rental prices in Miami-Dade County have skyrocketed by 58% over the past five years and the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is now over $3,300 per month according to Rent.com. The population of the park is almost entirely multi-generational, working-class Latino immigrants, with a significant number of them being elderly and disabled residents living on fixed incomes who find the park to be one of the few affordable options left in the region."

Read more:
https://itsgoingdown.org/this-is-worse-than-cuba-sweetwater/

#AffordableHousing #UnaffordableHousing #RealEstateDevelopers #Greed #Florida #MobileHomeParks #Latinos #ACAB

$1700 a month for a studio apartment is considered #AffordableHousing in #SouthernMaine? WTF!
#Maine #Scarborough #TheDowns #UnaffordableHousing

Australian house prices hit record high for fifth consecutive month | #unaffordablehousing #housingcrisis https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/01/australian-house-prices-hit-record-high-for-fifth-consecutive-month?CMP=share_btn_url

Number of affordable rentals in Australia at its lowest since records began | #unaffordablehousing https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/09/number-of-affordable-rentals-in-australia-at-its-lowest-since-records-began?CMP=share_btn_url

Revenge of the #Renter

Hundreds of #tenants, struggling to afford skyrocketing rents, are refusing to pay their #landlords at all. They call it a #RentStrike. The landlords say it’s illegal. An inside look at the frontier of a growing #ClassWar

Jason McBride November 9, 2023

"33 King was an inexpensive, aging highrise, but it was a bastion of affordability in a city that seemed to grow more expensive every year. In 2010, the couple moved into a two-bedroom apartment on the top floor that rented for less than $1,000. Two years later they had their first child, Xavier. [Their rent initially was $700 a month. It has more than doubled!]

"Then, in 2013, the landlord, a company called Realstar, informed Henry that her rent was going up that year by 5.5 per cent. She was confused. 33 King was rent-controlled—increases were capped in 2013 at 2.5 per cent. But there was a loophole: in Ontario, landlords can apply for what’s called an above guideline increase, or #AGI, to make major repairs. Realstar fixed the roof and elevators that year, so Henry thought it might be a one-off. When it happened again the next year, with an increase of 3.8 per cent, well above that year’s 0.8 per cent guideline, she and her neighbours were incensed. They’d long talked about deteriorating conditions in the building and regular maintenance that seemed to go undone. Some felt the AGIs were simply a way for #Realstar to boost the value of its asset by squeezing extra money out of its tenants.

"In 2017, Henry started working on the assembly line at a Chrysler plant in nearby Brampton, and became a member of Unifor. It was the first time she’d joined a union, and it was exciting to be part of a group of people banding together to fight for their rights. Energized by that experience, in 2018, she helped form a tenants’ association at 33 King to fight future AGIs. Still, they kept coming—in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

That year, a company called #DreamUnlimited, a #realestate giant with $23 billion worth of assets, bought 33 King. Because the 2019 and 2021 AGIs were still pending approval by Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board, or LTB, Dream inherited the applications. Henry and other tenants wasted no time making their feelings about them known to the new owners. Working with the York South-Weston #TenantUnion, or YSWTU—an umbrella organization for 13 tenants’ associations in the area—they staged protests, called Dream’s president, Michael Cooper, and went to the media in a bid to have the AGIs cancelled.

"The movement hasn’t come without consequences. Dream has initiated eviction proceedings for more than 70 tenants at 33 King, and Starlight has started them for 75 in Thorncliffe Park. More are likely to come, but the strikers have remained resolute, the fear of losing their homes outweighed by the impossibility of continuing the status quo.

"Their fights are just beginning. Tenant #activism is flaring across the country as renters face skyrocketing rents and deteriorating living conditions in the most brutal #housing market in memory. Whatever their outcome, the Toronto rent strikes are the latest, loudest volley in a brewing class war."

https://macleans.ca/longforms/rent-strikes-canada/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

#Toronto #TenantActivism #Canada #HousingMarket #UnaffordableHousing #TenantsRights #CorporateLandlords #Greed

Retail buildings sit empty while folks who are homeless live in encampments, since the shelters are full and rents are unaffordable. Meanwhile, South Portland city councilors ponder turning the mall into high-end housing, Allegedly, some of the units would be affordable, but what is being charged at similar developments nearby is WAY out of the range of most folks, many who now have to live on the streets because they can't afford rent.
#UnaffordableHousing #Capitalism #Greed #Maine #SouthernMaine

https://www.pressherald.com/2020/11/09/a-plan-to-transform-the-maine-mall-just-won-an-award-but-can-it-be-done/