Portland City Council approves funding for industrial park warming shelter

Portland Appropriates $735,000 From Opioid Settlement to Open Winter Warming Shelter

Council votes 5‑4 to use funds at Riverside Industrial Parkway, after last year’s plan in Bayside falls through

Portland, Maine – In a close decision that drew cheers and boos in the council chamber, the Portland City Council voted Monday, June 12, 2023, to allocate $735,000 from the city’s opioid settlement fund for a winter warming shelter at 166 Riverside Industrial Parkway. The city will also tap about $300,000 from MaineHousing to cover operating costs. The shelter, slated for a mid‑December opening at the earliest, will replace last year’s temporary facility at the same location, which closed after the winter ended.

The vote, 5‑4, marked the end of a two‑month search that saw the city weigh three alternatives: a new site in the Bayside neighborhood, a temporary expansion of the Homeless Services Center on Riverside Street under emergency status, and the industrial park building that served as the city’s winter shelter the previous year.

A Three‑Way Stalemate

City staff had originally pursued a site at Elena’s Way on Portland Street. “The zoning regulations on the property and neighborhood concern made that impossible,” said staff in a memo sent to council members after the plan fell apart. When nonprofit Seeds of Hope withdrew its application for MaineHousing funding, the city was left without a viable option less than two weeks before the shelter was scheduled to open.

“The other option debated by officials would have declared a limited emergency in order to expand capacity at the city‑run Homeless Services Center on Riverside Street,” the memo said. That approach would have been cheaper and available sooner, but it would have required the city to issue an emergency declaration and to add beds in a space already at capacity. It would also have excluded a group of people who could not access the peninsula facilities.

“There are 52 people who have criminal trespass orders that prevent them from accessing the Homeless Services Center,” said a city staffer. “The industrial park option would not turn those individuals away.” While the staff did not know the current housing status of the 52 individuals, they added that most of those orders were issued in response to violent behavior that posed an imminent physical threat to shelter guests and staff.

Councilor Anna Bullett, chair of the Public Safety and Health and Human Services Committee, supported the industrial‑park option. “We want a no‑barrier option for people who can’t access the Homeless Services Center,” she said. “And we’re not willing to put funding in the budget if we’re not going to have folks come with us.”

Councilor Wes Pelletier, who backed the Homeless Services Center, criticized the city’s handling of the process. “My trust in staff to provide accurate information has been deeply shaken,” he said. “The laws that made Elena’s Way difficult were passed two years ago and should not have been surprising.” Pelletier also urged that the opioid funds be directed toward recovery programs rather than a temporary shelter.

The Debate on Opioid Settlement Funds

The opioid settlement fund, created by a $100 million state‑wide settlement with drug distributors, has been earmarked for recovery and prevention programs. Critics of the shelter plan argue that using the money for a short‑term facility diverts it from longer‑term solutions.

“Using those funds for a short‑term shelter is egregious,” said Ryan Paige, co‑founder of a Maine recovery nonprofit. “The funds are meant to help get people out of the grips of addiction.”

Supporters counter that a warming shelter is a critical lifeline during Portland’s harsh winter. “We’re here because the old model has failed,” said Councilor Ben Grant. “After multiple failures, there needs to be discussions about including funding in the city budget.”

Voices of the Homeless Community

The council chamber was crowded with homeless and recovery advocates who demanded a solution that did not leave people “out in the cold.” During public comment, former housing counselor Susanna Richer warned that adding more beds to the Homeless Services Center would create “absolute pandemonium.” Cheryl Harkins of Homeless Voices for Justice called the vote a “critical decision for people’s lives” and accused the city of “misunderstanding the homeless population.”

Preble Street’s advocacy director Terence Miller urged the city to keep the shelter “as accessible as possible.” He argued that the peninsula location presents barriers and suggested a creative solution for people with trespass orders, such as an extended shuttle schedule.

Looking Ahead

The city’s staff said the shelter could open as soon as staff are hired and trained, but the realistic target is mid‑December or later. Mayor Mark Dion defended the city’s process, noting that very few buildings on the peninsula meet the necessary requirements. He added that a program coordinator would have faced the same space and budget constraints as the Homeless Services Center.

“We’re trying to find a workable solution,” Dion said. “The old model has failed. We need a new approach.”

The council’s decision reflects a broader struggle to provide safe, accessible housing for Portland’s most vulnerable residents while navigating legal constraints and funding priorities. As winter approaches, the city’s choice of a warming shelter at Riverside Industrial Parkway will be tested by both its capacity and the city’s ability to keep doors open for everyone in need.