Portland’s unhoused are mostly sheltered, but housing is sparse [Video]

PORTLAND, Maine — It’s been one month since Portland cleared its last large homeless encampment. After that sweep, many unhoused residents said they were considering using the Homeless Services Center (HSC) off Riverside Street.

The HSC was once criticized for being too high a barrier. After collaboration between the city and the nonprofit members of the encampment crisis response team, many of those barriers were workshopped. And while some of the barriers still exist, unhoused residents started to use the facility as the winter weather set in.

The addition of Portland’s newly-elected Mayor Mark Dion enforcing the existing ordinance, that if shelter space is open camping is illegal, made more people consider shelter.

“I think the focus right now is going to be: how do we get people out of the shelter into transitional housing?” Mayor Dion said. 

Dion said it was good that …