Hawkins, a regular on the city streets, dies at age 56.
homeless
Posted inFact Brief, Local & State, Nation & World, News
Are 40% of homeless people veterans? | Fact brief
The number of homeless veterans fell 8% nationwide between 2023 and 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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Posted inLocal & State, News
Portland’s plan for winter warming shelter draws concern, but options are limited
City staff spent months reaching out to social service partners, churches and private shelters, unsuccessfully seeking a downtown location for this winter. Now, the city finds itself left with a spot that officials, advocates and homeless people all agree is not ideal.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
New downtown Portland ambassador program aims to address growing safety, cleanliness concerns
In the wake of increased complaints from business owners, a nonprofit organization is dispatching a team to help clean up needles, graffiti and waste, and to respond to calls about loitering and drug use.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Last year, Portland moved to fund 3 new programs for homeless people. Only 1 is up and running.
The City Council allotted most of $1.38 million in settlement funds for a new day space and a methadone clinic, but the head of the Health & Human Services Department is now advising councilors to reconsider.
Posted inLocal & State, News
Maine shelters, civil rights groups slam Trump executive order on homelessness
The order signed this week seeks to shift federal funds and policies away from harm reduction and towards civil commitment, which enables authorities to hospitalize and treat people without their consent. Local advocates compared it to “signing a death warrant.”
Posted inLocal & State, News
What’s behind the drop in Maine’s homelessness numbers?
New data shows the number of people experiencing homelessness in Maine dropped for the third straight year this year, a decline that is largely attributed to the state moving away from using motels as emergency shelters.
Posted inLocal & State
Biddeford helps those experiencing homelessness during extreme heat
Throughout the city, cooling centers and meal programs stayed open later to provide relief.
Posted inLocal & State
A year in, Portland’s pilot housing first program helped house dozens of people
The city and MaineHousing hope to continue the program for at least another year.
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Local & State, News
Lewiston shelter effort at risk of losing $2.5 million in state funding
The lack of a location for the shelter and a shortage of operating funds has put critical financing from MaineHousing in jeopardy.