FEBRUARY 2024.VOL. 24 NO. 02. PORTLAND, MAINE.
PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!
Unsheltered Homelessness A conversation with Jess Falero and Cullen Ryan
Every month PelotonLabs founder Liz Trice interviews a community member for The West End News. This month Liz spoke with Jess Falero and Cullen Ryan about encampment sweeps, safety concerns at shelters, and what could be done if more resources were available. Below is an edited version of their conversation.
Jess Falero has experienced homelessness, is a peer advocate, community organizer, and emerged as a leader during the 2020 homeless encampment at Portland City Hall. Listen to the entire conversation at https:// thewestendnews.com/ podcast
Cullen Ryan has over 36 years of experience working with people experiencing homelessness as a clinician, advocate, and housing developer. Cullen is the Executive Director of Community Housing of Maine (CHOM), the largest supportive housing provider for people who have experienced homelessness.
Liz: What is the current situation with the encampments that have been cleared? Where are people going? Cullen: A lot has changed in the last two months. The city council allowed 50 extra beds at the Homeless Services Center (HSC) and worked with the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) to create a shelter specifically for single adult asylum seekers. So that freed up 170 beds, and the city prioritized beds for people who were unsheltered.The city also removed some barriers that stood in the way of people coming inside. The result was many people coming inside to the HSC, Milestone, Florence House, and Elena’s Way. We’ve gone from a peak on October 6th of 282 tents all the way down to maybe 50 tents before the sweeps in early January. The number of people outside is maybe a quarter of what it was and closer to what it was last winter.That’s big progress.
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Encampment sweeps are inherently violent. It’s very harsh to say, 'I'm going to destroy this home you built, and your only option is to access the shelter that you’re afraid of.'" -Jess Falero Liz: Jess, tell us what you’re hearing and seeing.
Jess: I’m not pro-sweep. But Cullen is right, people tried out the shelter who otherwise would not have tried it out. But just because something is effective, doesn’t mean that it’s humane. Encampment sweeps are inherently violent. It’s very harsh to say, “I’m going to destroy this home you built, and your only option is to access the shelter that you’re afraid of.” It wasn’t handled in an ethical way that allowed people their own autonomy. People on the streets are incredibly vulneraLiz: What were some of the barriers ble, and people making the decisions for that were lowered? them are not vulnerable, so there is a Cullen: The city made the “curfew” power difference there. later – people have to let them know if We need to talk about the ways shelthey need a bed by a certain time. That ters are unsafe and unprepared for the time used to be 6 p.m., then 9 p.m., and people showing up right now. Some peohas now been moved to 11 p.m. People ple have severe trauma, or severe mental can stay out even later if they commu- illness, or are veterans, or just don’t have nicate that need. The Humane Society is the skills to handle themselves as tactfulnow providing safe harbor for pets. People ly as people would like. So I’m concerned can lock their belongings outside before that the folks are going to end up leavcoming in and access those belongings any ing or getting kicked out. Shelters are a time, day or night. People can spend time Band-Aid and can actually perpetuate the with their partners in the common areas systemic issues that are happening in our of the building – just sleeping areas are world. Cont'd on Pg. 3 separated by gender.
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