PORTLAND, Maine — A spokesperson for the city of Portland says that all 192 asylum-seekers living in the Portland Expo will move into hotels on Wednesday.
That’s the deadline for the city to get people out of the Expo Center. The two hotels being used are both outside the city, but in the Greater Portland area.
The city has not reached a contract agreement with the hotels yet, but families living in the expo were informed of the planned housing changes Friday.
While some community members have expressed interest in renting to asylum seekers, the program would take coordination and time. It would also require a significant amount of public assistance to help asylum seekers cover rental costs as many face hurdles to work authorization that allows legal employment.
Further details on the plan to house asylum seekers were not made available on Friday.
BDN writer Leela Stockley contributed to this report.
