I’m no longer a resident of Maine and haven’t been for a number of years.

I’m writing this as the mother of a mentally ill, homeless man living in Portland. He and numerous other American citizens are waiting for housing while Portland and Maine in general are welcoming and housing asylum seekers.

When will Americans be housed? The homeless in Portland are harassed to move along. Where are they to go when affordable housing is filled? Why weren’t they offered this housing? Why is their homelessness and lack of services not seen as the desperate situation that it truly is?

This same scenario is being repeated all over the country. Have any of you seen the pictures of the streets in San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and LA in particular? Why are our own citizens always pushed to the end of the line?

For those of you who are wondering, I’m retired and live in a situation where I can’t house my son.

Ann Towle

Northfield, N.H.