AUGUSTA, Maine – Augusta’s planning board denied a proposal that would turn an empty church into a homeless shelter.
The proposed project included 16 affordable, supported housing units attached to a 40-bed low-barrier shelter. The shelter would welcome anyone, including people who don’t have an ID, have a criminal record or struggle with substance use disorder.
Augusta does have a warming center for the unhoused, but it’s set to close for the season in a few weeks, and the project’s organizers, United Community Living, say those people need somewhere to go.
“Some people, you know, are just experiencing barriers,” United Community Living Co-Founder Betty St. Hilaire said. “They would like to move forward, but there’s just too many roadblocks, and they get discouraged and give up, so we want to be here to help.”
While organizers said strict rules would have been enforced for community safety, some residents were worried that the shelter could attract people who are using drugs or have criminal records, and they had concerns about public safety in that neighborhood.
“I don’t feel this is the solution Augusta needs, and I don’t think this is the location in the proximity to an area of the city that is taxed already,” Augusta resident Victoria Abbot said.
The planning board unanimously denied the proposal on Tuesday, citing that the project failed to meet several city ordinances.
