Maine’s five low-barrier shelters, including one in Bangor, could get a financial boost from the state, but they say it wouldn’t be enough to cover their shortfalls.
The Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs and Housing Committee on Saturday gave initial approval for Maine’s five low-barrier shelters to receive $7.5 million over the next three years. The funding is included in the state supplemental budget proposal, which the House and Senate will vote on in the coming days.
If approved, MaineHousing would allocate the awards, and the funding would likely amount to roughly $500,000 for each shelter annually, according to Mark Swann, executive director of Preble Street in Portland. The funding would begin in fiscal year 2025, which runs from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
The funding allocation comes after months of Maine’s low-barrier shelters begging state lawmakers for the support they need to keep their doors open. Penobscot Community Health Care, which owns and operates the Hope House in Bangor, has said it will close the shelter if it can’t find a new owner by October.
While the new funding would keep Maine’s low-barrier shelters functioning for the time being, it doesn’t entirely cover the deficits the shelters are facing, according to a statement from Penobscot Community Health Care.
Low-barrier shelters accept guests regardless of their sobriety, mental illness or criminal history and don’t require background or credit checks, income verification or proof of identification. There are three low-barrier shelters in Portland, one in Waterville and one in Bangor.
With 64 beds that are usually at or near capacity every night, the Hope House is Maine’s second largest shelter and the only low-barrier shelter north of Waterville. Because of the few requirements needed to stay at the shelter, its guests are often chronically homeless with untreated mental health issues and substance use disorder who have nowhere else to go.
Representatives from Maine shelters have warned that the closure of the Hope House would result in more people living outside, incarcerated or hospitalized.
“If low-barrier shelters like Hope House are allowed to close, it would have a ripple effect on our entire community and all of Maine,” Reps. Ambureen Rana, Amy Roeder, Laura Supica and Joe Perry wrote in a joint statement Monday announcing the funding.
Preble Street, a Portland-based organization that operates two low-barrier shelters, has shown interest in taking over the Hope House, but that depends on whether the organization can secure the funding necessary to keep it afloat.
“I expect we’ll make a decision by June,” Swann said. “To know we’re that much closer to keeping Hope House open, it felt like an enormous weight was taken off our shoulders this weekend.”
Last year, the Hope House had a $700,000 deficit, according to Lori Dwyer, PCHC president and CEO. Meanwhile, Elena’s Way, one of Preble Street’s shelters, is facing a $1.4 million deficit from its $2 million operating budget, Swann said.
