First Parish Universal Unitarian Church in Portland has hosted the city’s warming shelter for the past two winters. This winter, though, the city is considering moving the facility to a building that is already functioning as a shelter primarily for asylum seekers. (Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer)
The city of Portland says it will consider using space at a shelter that has primarily housed asylum seekers to serve as the home for its overnight warming center this winter.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills and MaineHousing on Tuesday announced $2.3 million in grant funding to operate a dozen such warming shelters across the state. The 12 facilities will provide 338 beds in Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Penobscot and York counties.
“For folks facing a housing emergency or homelessness during the winter, these grants can make sure they have a roof over their heads and a place to sleep at night,” Mills wrote in a statement Tuesday.
Portland received just over $400,000 in funding. The only municipality allocated more is Augusta, with over $425,000.
City staff tried to identify an on-peninsula location with a nonprofit operator, city spokesperson Jessica Grondin said in a written statement Tuesday. For the past two winters, the warming center has been located at First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church on Congress Street and operated by the nonprofit organization Commonspace.
But after several months of searching without success, city staff switched gears to explore off-peninsula, city-run alternatives, Grondin said.
With the deadline for grant applications looming, city staff tapped 166 Riverside Industrial Parkway — where the city is already contracted to provide an emergency shelter that has largely been a temporary home for asylum seekers — to host the overnight warming shelter.
Grondin said the building’s layout will allow for separate spaces for emergency shelter residents and warming shelter guests.
The property owner, DC Blueberry LLC, has approved the dual use of the site, Grondin said.
The City Council still needs to formally accept the funding and finalize the plan. Councilors are scheduled to consider the matter at their next meeting on Oct. 6; public comment will be taken.
Overnight warming shelters are typically activated in Portland when a low temperature of 15 degrees or below is recorded, Grondin said, or if more than 10 inches of snow accumulates. On days the temperature or snow thresholds are met, the new warming shelter will operate from 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. and provide 60 beds.
Shuttle services will be expanded to provide transportation to the facility, Grondin said.
Warming shelters in Maine served more than 1,800 people last winter, according to the state.
“These critical, life-saving funds will make it possible to help our fellow Mainers during the coldest time of the year, should they be without adequate shelter or are facing a heating emergency during the winter months,” MaineHousing Director Dan Brennan wrote in a statement.