PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine) — News that the Oxford Street Shelter in Portland may move to the outskirts of the city has people talking, including homeowners who live near the shelter and the people who call the shelter their home.
The people we talked to at the shelter were happy to hear about the city's plan for a new homeless services center. The new center will be based on a comprehensive model for providing critical transition services.
There will be 200 raised beds, instead of mats, meals, and on-site services, such as mental health, medical and dental services, as well as employment assistance.
Homeowners in Bayside, where the shelter is located, have watched the neighborhood struggle, with the effects of the opioid epidemic and the increasing number of homeless people in the city, seeking services.
Sarah Michniewicz is president of the Bayside Neighborhood Association. She and her husband have lived on Cedar Street for 20 years.
"I know that no one is interested in putting what is going on in Bayside and just dropping it in a new location," Michniewicz said. "And if I thought for one minute that was going to happen I would lay down in front of the bulldozer. I'm not interested in seeing anyone else go through this and I'm not interested in seeing a lateral move that doesn't actually help the homeless population."
Michniewicz said going forward there will be to be a lot discussion, a lot of questions to make sure this all implemented correctly.