Citing a lack of both resources and guidance from the federal and state governments, Biddeford City Manager James Bennett recently said the issue of homelessness is “probably the most difficult issue” that any municipality in Maine can face.

And while some social media users say the city of Biddeford and surrounding municipalities are “doing nothing” to solve the crisis, others say that expanding resources will simply draw more unhoused persons to the area, placing an even greater strain on local resources and taxpayers.

“There are a lot of factors that play into this,” said Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant. “And there are no easy answers. In my opinion, we have a moral obligation to tackle this issue but we also have a fiscal obligation to the taxpayers. The question then becomes how do you reconcile those two things?”

Casavant said the issue of homelessness is becoming a larger issue in communities all over the country, and across the river in Saco, Mayor William Doyle agrees.

“We all want to tackle this issue, but it’s not as simple as just passing an ordinance,” Doyle said. “The problem is really aggravated by a lack of affordable housing in the region. If someone can’t afford to live in a house or an apartment, their options are limited,” he said.

Doyle said the city of Saco is looking for a “comprehensive” solution, adding that he and members of the city council recently directed City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath to develop a list of recommendations for the council to consider regarding affordable housing.

“It’s pretty similar to what Biddeford is doing,” Doyle said, adding that proposals such as inclusionary zoning and other developer incentives are all “on the table” for discussion.

Earlier this week, the Saco City Council voted to approve moving forward with a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application that could clear the way for development of a 60-unit affordable housing development near the intersection of the Ross Road and Portland Road.

Kaenrath said he and his staff are “digging deep into the issue” in order to develop some “tangible and meaningful ways” to address what he acknowledged is a growing issue in the city.

“It’s not a problem that you can just throw some money at and have the problem solved,”Casavant said, pointing to other Maine communities that are still struggling with the unhoused crisis, despite spending millions of dollars to combat the issue.

According to the federal department of Housing and Urban Development, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Maine increased by more than 110 percent since 2020, and is up by more than 85 percent since 2010.

The Law Enforcement Perspective

Although the increasing number of unhoused people remains relatively hidden beneath the surface of day-to-day life, there is a growing strain on municipal services, including local police departments.

Joanne Fisk, Interim Biddeford Police Chief, said there has been a spike in calls for mental health services since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic three years ago.

“Of course, that’s not all related to our unhoused population, but it is a factor,” Fisk said. “it’s not illegal to be homeless. We are constantly looking for ways we can adapt and better connect individuals with appropriate services and resources.”

Fisk said Biddeford recently hired a community engagement specialist to work as a liaison between the department and social service agencies, including the Seeds of Hope resource center.

Sgt. Steve Gorton has been working for the Biddeford Police Department for 27 years. Today, he heads up the community resource division for the department. He says issues related to the unhoused population “ebbs and flows.”

“There’s no question that more people are struggling, but I have not seen a big spike,” he said. “Our unhoused population experiences the same challenges as every one else, whether it’s domestic violence, assaults and theft. These issues are nowhere near unique to the unhoused.”

Gorton said police sometimes receive complaints about pan-handling near certain, busy intersections in the city. “There’s not really much we can do,” he said. “It’s not illegal to pan-handle.”

According to the Bangor Police Department, nearly a third of annual police calls involve people experiencing homelessness and/or mental health issues. That city has also created mental health liaison positions within their police department.

The Lewiston City Council late last year voted 4-3 to create an ordinance that would prohibit people from sleeping on city property at night, between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. That ordinance, which drew plenty of criticism from homeless advocates, is expected to go into effect on April 1.

On a recent warm afternoon, Robert, 57, stands on the corner of Main and Lincoln streets, directly across the street from Biddeford City Hall. He holds a sign he fashioned from a used pizza box: “Dammit! I need work.”

Robert says he moved to Maine a couple of years ago and has been struggling with alcoholism for many years. He said he is sober now, but that it is becoming increasingly hard to get “back on his feet.” When asked where he lives, he says he spends much of his time in Veteran’s Memorial Park.

“It’s degrading for a man my age to be out here begging,” he said. “It might be okay if you’re a young guy or something, but not for someone my age. Yeah, I made some bad choices, but now I have nothing. Literally nothing. I just want a job, but no one wants to hire a guy who doesn’t have an address or personal hygiene products.”

Bigger cities, bigger problems

“Some of Maine’s largest cities are spending a lot of money and still have a lot of problems,” Casavant said. “That does not mean that we can ignore the issue or just hope that someone else is going to fix it. I suspect that we’ll need to begin fixing a lot of little things that all contribute to the larger problem.”

By state law, every municipality in Maine is required to provide a General Assistance (GA) program to help residents with temporary emergency funding for things such as housing, heating and personal items. But even that program presents challenges for those on the bottom of the economic scale.

In order to receive GA services, applicants must demonstrate income and resource requirements. And although the city can provide temporary help for rental payments, it cannot provide housing or security deposits.

Municipal expenditures for General Assistance are funded by a 70 percent matching contribution from the state and 30 percent from the local community, presenting a bigger share of the problem for larger, service-center communities such as Bangor, Portland, Lewiston and Biddeford.

“It’s a regional issue,” Casavant said. “But unfortunately, it’s the larger communities such as Biddeford that have to bear the brunt of the cost.

Originally published in Saco Bay News

For the most part, they live just beneath the surface of our day-to-day lives, but they are also our neighbors, our friends, co-workers and family members. In fact, the only difference between them and the rest of us is that they do not have permanent housing.

The issue of being unhoused is an issue being faced by cities large and small all across the United States, although the issue is often more magnified in communities that serve as urban centers, where public transportation is available and resources are consolidated.

On one of the coldest days in recent memory, we caught up with several unhoused persons at a warming center that was set up in Biddeford in order to provide respite while the outdoor temperatures were well below zero.

Louise is 66 years old. She moved to Biddeford from Portland two years ago. For many years, she worked as a restaurant manager and says she graduated from the University of Southern Maine. Although she has relatives in southern Maine, she says that being unhoused is her choice.

“I have a sister in Portland and a son in Brunswick,” she said. “But we don’t always get along, and I like to be independent.”

Louise says she has been homeless since 2018. She says that she came to Biddeford because she heard “some very nice things” about the city and the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center located on South Street.

Louise becomes quickly confused during our brief interview. She says that she and her boyfriend Bob would like to start their own homeless shelter. She also says that she is seriously considering running as a candidate to be Biddeford’s next mayor later this year.

“It’s my choice to be out there,” she says. “I don’t want to be a burden, and I want to help other people who have nowhere to go. I think of myself as a street angel.”

Vassie Fowler is the executive director of the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center, a non-profit organization that partners with regional communities and other service providers to assist those struggling with poverty.

“We don’t call them our clients,” Fowler said. “We call them our neighbors.”

Seeds of Hope provides many resources for those coping with homelessness, including breakfast and lunch during the weekday as well as providing donated clothing, personal hygiene products, tents, sleeping bags and other items.

“We have a very low bar set for people who are in need,” Fowler explains. “Basically, all we ask for is your first name. For a lot of people living in poverty, isolationism is a really big issue. We work to build real connections and real relationships.”

According to Fowler, Seeds of Hope serves an average of 60-70 people per day, a number that has almost doubled since last year.

Last year, Seeds of Hope provided more than 10,000 meals for people in need. The organization is supported and run by more than 30 volunteers and receives donations from local businesses and charitable organizations.

“Healthy people don’t live outdoors,” Fowler explained. “Some people may say they choose to be unhoused, but more often than not, they are simply trying to maintain their dignity. “

Fowler points to three rows of cots that were set up in the gymnasium of the J. Richard Martin Community Center on Alfred Street, the site of Biddeford’s emergency warming center. More than three dozen people mingle with others or try to sleep on a bitterly cold Saturday morning.

“We have a room full of people who basically have nothing but their name,” Fowler said. “But everybody has a name, and that’s the great equalizer. When we use names, it’s no longer ‘those people.’ It changes your perception. Sometimes, that’s all we can that we can give them, just respect and dignity.”

A big smile on a very cold day

Jane is 21 years old and eagerly speaks to us about what it’s like to deal with not having a place to call home.

Jane says her mother moved to Maine from Florida more than 10 years ago. “I have some family issues,” she explains. “I’m not working now, but I am looking. It’s not easy to find work when you’re basically homeless. There’s a lot of stigma.”

Jane says that she and her boyfriend often “hang out” at the Seeds of Hope Neighborhood Center. One of the biggest challenges to being homeless, she says, is a lack of public restrooms. “I get why not,” she says about the lack of public bathrooms, “but it sure would be nice.”

When asked how she survives living on the streets, Jane offers a big smile and says, “I take it day by day. I just try to keep a positive outlook. I just always try to be happy no matter what.”

Mark is 42 years old. He sits on a cot in the shelter next to his girlfriend, Amanda.

Originally from Massachusetts, Mark lost his job at the Federal Express distribution center in Biddeford a few months ago.  He said he is scheduled to begin a new job in Portland in just a few days. “It’s tough to find work,” he says. “When they know you’re homeless, they don’t want to hire you.”

Mark freely admits that he has struggled with substance abuse issues. Although he has a brother and sister living in New Hampshire, Mark says his past behavior left him estranged from his family. “Yeah, I kind of got into some trouble,” he says. “It’s my fault, but I’ve basically lost everything.”

Mark and Amanda live in a tent encampment located on the western side of the city. “The cops kicked us out of there,” Ryan said. “So we just moved to some nearby woods.”

Amanda is 34. She says she became homeless after leaving an abusive relationship with her husband. “My family has pretty much turned their backs on me,” she says. “Some people think that homeless people don’t want to work. That’s just not true. I worked in a hotel and a call center. For a while, I was the manager of a convenience store. Bu things just happened. Being homeless sucks. It’s hard because it’s always in your face.”

When asked how she copes, Amanda shrugs her shoulders. “You just gotta push through every day,” she says. “You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

Mark and Amanda say that it’s actually harder to be homeless as a couple because you always have to worry about the other person and whether they are okay. They also say that some other unhoused individuals often cause problems and sometimes steal belongings. “Some people really ruin it for others,” Amanda said.

Paul is 38 years old. He often hangs out at the Saco Transportation Center during the day. He admits that he drinks alcohol and smokes cigarettes. “How am I supposed to save money?” he asks. “Really, I get a check every month for about $600. How am I supposed to save up for first and last month’s rent and security deposit? If you were in my shoes, what would you do?

Jackson says he pan-handles to raise money, but he’d rather have a full-time job. Up until a few months ago, he worked full-time as a dishwasher at a local restaurant. He also worked in a factory. He lost his job after being hospitalized in a Portland psychiatric facility.

“I paid taxes just like you,” he says. “What did it get me? I’m outside and now nobody wants to know me. They don’t even want to look at me. A good day is a day when I can get some smokes. A bad day is when I think about stepping in front of the next train.”

Originally published in Saco Bay News