As Westbrook works with Portland shelters to help provide temporary homes for residents in need, some say there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Westbrook’s general assistance program and three Portland shelters now have a temporary agreement in place, which they hope to finalize by the end of the year, to house Westbrook residents without homes for a fee of $20 per bed per night. The city pays the fee.
Previously, Westbrook residents told the city they had been refused at Portland shelters.
The protocol for the city had been to put people up in hotels if they found themselves suddenly homeless, which City Administrator Jerre Bryant said was costly. He also said hotels lack support services, such as food and health care, that shelters can provide.
The city decided to revisit its policy after two School Committee members, Sue Bearor and Maria Dorn, organized a community forum last month to discuss homelessness in the city.
Though Bryant said the agreement with Portland shelters “will go a long way to meet some of our emergency housing needs,” Bearor and Dorn are still looking for more from the city.
“We don’t have to try to solve it on our own,” Dorn said at a Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, where she suggested the city look to organizations like United Way to help provide money and services for Westbrook’s homeless.
First, though, she said, is understanding what Westbrook’s homeless problem is.
“We can get some data and get some experts in and we can solve this problem for Westbrook,” she said.
Bearor said she first became concerned about the homeless in the city when she found out that school-aged children had been sleeping in cars at night because their families were homeless – something she said that keeps her up at night.
Based on the number of people who came to last month’s forum, Bearor said, there must be more resources the city can tap into.
“We need to make sure everybody knows,” she said, about what resources are available for people, including the agreement with Portland shelters.
“I think that’s been our goal, trying to get the word out,” she said. “There are lots of people out there that want to help us and want to work with us.”
Bryant agreed with Bearor and Dorn that there is more work to be done.
“I don’t think we’re doing everything we can,” he said. “We’re doing as much as we can as quickly as we can.”
City councilors acknowledge the progress that had been made since the community forum.
“I think this is a great first step,” Councilor John O’Hara said about the agreement with the shelters.
Councilor Drew Gattine said he believes the city should still look into providing a facility within the city limits. Though he said he didn’t know all of the costs and complications that would come with Westbrook creating its own emergency housing, he said, “I do think it’s something we should continue to look at.”
Council President Brendan Rielly suggested holding another community forum in the near future to hear more about how existing social services agencies can be helping Westbrook’s homeless and to ask, “What should we be thinking about now?”
For emergency housing help, Westbrook residents can contact general assistance during normal business hours by calling 854-6843 or 854-9779. After hours, call public safety dispatch at 854-0644, ext. 1.
The Portland shelters that Westbrook residents may be referred to are Family Shelter on Chestnut Street, Preble Street Women’s Shelter and Oxford Street Shelter for Men.
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