This is in response to a comment left on a social media post.
Thank you for your question. I’m with you, I don’t like seeing the symptoms of our housing and substance use crises. Especially when those symptoms cross the line of public safety, such as exposed needles left in parks. First, let’s talk about the problem.
We need better coordination.
One of the issues I’ve noticed is the lack of complete coordination between agencies, organizations, and the city when it comes to addressing homelessness. For example, identifying available resources many times comes down to case managers being in the right meeting with the right people, at the right time, and hearing about a resource, then writing it down in a notebook. Case managers are working as hard as they can, and we need to offer them a better system. That includes stepping up efforts on coordinated entry. The state of Maine is still not meeting a HUD mandate from 2018 for following a coordinated entry protocol. Hub 7 stated it entered a pilot program for this in October 2022 and completed it in December that same year. However, we learned that it was not employed for all of the individuals that were involved in the Valley Avenue camp closure. This lack of coordination has resulted in missed opportunities, and people falling through the cracks. When it comes to helping individuals, it’s a myriad of phone calls and asks, trying to piece together what can be done and who can provide what. Case managers are overworked and getting burned out. The city of Bangor needs to build the infrastructure for that complete collaboration to take place. When we work together to coordinate services and identify needs, we can more effectively allocate state and federal funds to address resource gaps, building hope and trust within our unhoused community.
It’s not too late for ARPA funds to help.
As of today, November 2, 2023, the city of Bangor still has $3.8 million in ARPA funds to allocate. I’ve publicly stated that I believe the very next thing we fund with it is awarding premium pay for our first responders. This is vital, as we cannot afford to continue to lose firefighters to burnout and other municipalities. There will still be remaining ARPA funds for other projects.
Using ARPA dollars to fund StreetPlus is another way to help, as their supplemental janitorial and outreach services will help direct those with unmet needs to safer spaces, and where they can have a better chance to having their needs met. It also significantly improves the safety and cleanliness of our public spaces.
In the meantime, Bangor needs to position itself to take advantage of some of the $100 million the governor is putting into Maine’s budget for Affordable Housing. We must also advocate for as much of the $80,000,000 that will be made available because of LD226. This is a bill I was proud to testify in favor of, and I convinced the city of Bangor to do the same. Hiring the grant manager that City Council allocated ARPA funds for back in July would go a long way here.
The City Council has earmarked $700,000 in ARPA funds to cover 2 staff positions. One for homelessness, another for housing. As a city councilor I will ask other members to join me in making the allocations official, and to direct the city manager to begin the search for filling those positions.
Long-term efforts, short-term action.
The long term plan is more housing, more services, with coordination and ACTION, and using state and federal dollars already available. We need sustainable solutions that address the root causes of homelessness and substance use disorder. In the short term, coordination between the city and ALL organizations who address these issues will be key. We all read the article in the BDN where other communities are admitting they’re sending their residents to Bangor for help. That’s not fair to those individuals who went to their community for help and were sent here under the false promise of “Bangor has services.” We’re stretched thin. Too thin. I support the legislature’s effort to make general assistance a state responsibility instead of a municipal one. But until that becomes law, the city of Bangor needs to push back on this inhumane practice other communities are engaged in. When a community shirks its state mandated responsibility to help their own residents through General Assistance, Maine allows the receiving community to collect double the costs incurred from the offending community. I want to see that law enforced. These are human beings deserving of dignity, not pinballs to be plunked along. Enforcing that law protects the dignity of individuals but also ensures that our own resources are not being taken advantage of by rural communities.
Everyone in Bangor deserves dignity. And safety.
The rest of Bangor is deserving of dignity too. And safety. I have 3 small children. Needles left at public parks, especially Talbot Park, are a big deal to me. I live on Third Street. I take my kids up to Fairmount Park even though Talbot Park is closer for that very reason. I shouldn’t have to. I shouldn’t have to watch for needles when walking by the Bangor Historical Society, but after seeing them left there on multiple occasions, I have to. I don’t stay this to stigmatize those who are still in active use. Substance Use Disorder is a disease. It’s not the person. I’m angry at the disease. I advocate for fighting the disease. People choose recovery and DO recover. So many in Bangor have. We must advocate for more from the opioid settlement funds, and other state/federal funds for more recovery and treatment services. As a councilor, I will work to see that we do.
Pro-Public Safety
I know other candidates are running on a strong “public safety” stance. That sounds really good. Except… police are bound by Maine law and a homelessness protocol. City Council can’t tell the police to ignore it. And when the police do make arrests, the county jail refuses to take offenders for the lower offenses. Everyone applauds Brewer for “not having” a homelessness issue. Their plan includes many trips across the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge.
How can we address the challenges posed by the homelessness protocol in our community? The reason why the homelessness protocol isn’t having the desired effect in Bangor is because we don’t have enough resources to accommodate the referrals. The state law says unhoused residents must be referred to services for lower crimes: trespassing, disorderly conduct, public drinking, possession of a scheduled drug for personal use. Homelessness in and of itself is not a crime, and this state law works to decriminalize it. If we had the resources to handle the referrals, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.
Bangor Police Department is committed to public safety.
If the crime is greater, of course they’ll arrest the person. Our police are working hard to keep us safe and they’ll never allow our safety to be jeopardized. They are working around the clock to keep Bangor safe. But when an alleged crime is within the scope of the protocol, they are bound by the state of Maine to refer to services. No matter who gets elected, that won’t change. The issue is not with the state law. The issue is we don’t have enough services to refer to. That’s the reason we’re seeing the issues we’re seeing. I want to see the city advocate for more state and federal dollars to work on this, make more resources available. Let’s also work to get more of the opioid settlement money and put it to work in Bangor. Detox beds. Supportive housing. I want to hear from local providers on how they can do more and what Bangor needs to do to support them in that effort. Nothing’s off the table. We can and we WILL address these issues.
We don’t have to wait to see a cleaner and safer city.
Don’t let the heading here mislead you. Bangor is not an inherently dirty or unsafe city. On the contrary. Yes, we have issues, but I don’t want to give the impression that I think Bangor is crime-ridden or filthy. It absolutely is not.
It’s going to take time to get all the long-term solutions in place. In the meantime, I will work to ensure we’re taking steps right now to make Bangor a place that everyone feels comfortable and welcome in. Hiring StreetPlus with ARPA funds, strengthening our outreach efforts through better coordination, and following USICH guidelines for outreach are a few of the steps we can take right away to address homelessness in a way that treats our unhoused neighbors with dignity, partners with them and gives them a say in the solution, while also reducing the public safety issues that are symptoms of homelessness.
We can do this. And we must. For our us, for our children, for our future, for our community. For everyone in Bangor. We became the City of Homes after the fire of 1911. Bangor can become the City of Homes once again.
Thank you again for your important question and the opportunity to share my thoughts on it. I ask for your vote on November 7th, and I pledge to waste no time getting to work on this if elected.
Together for Bangor,
Michael Beck