Bangor group has found 36 apartments for homeless people

Bangor-area landlords have rented apartments to nearly 40 people who were once homeless with the help of a local program that has surged in popularity. Community Health and Counseling Services in Bangor now has 19 landlords enrolled in its Landlord Liaison Program, which matches landlords with people who are homeless to fill vacant apartments. About 28 of the 36 occupied apartments are in Bangor, with more units in Dexter and Old Town, according to Andrew Royal, who oversees the program for Community Health and Counseling Services. The program is among the web of initiatives local organizations have launched in recent years to alleviate homelessness in the Bangor area, which has swelled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. From January 2022 to January 2023, the number of people who were homeless in Maine jumped from 3,455 to 4,258, according to the annual Point-In-Time Count, which collects data on the number of people who were homeless on a singular night. While the Landlord Liaison Program got off to a slow start in late 2022, Royal said participation suddenly exploded in 2024, likely from positive word of mouth among landlords. In the first quarter of this year alone, Royal estimated the program grew as much as it did in all of 2023. Nine of the 19 landlords participating have enrolled in the program since January. “Things could really be taking off and expanding from here, which would be so welcome for this community,” he said. All landlords in the program have reported positive experiences, Royal said. Landlords said tenants pay their rent on time, get along with their neighbors and don’t cause issues. In his experience touring the apartments, Royal said the units are clean and decorated. “If I didn’t know these people were coming from homelessness, I would have no idea,” he said. “People just need their own place to make theirs. That starts their healing and the next chapter of their life.” The biggest barrier to the program’s growth, however, continues to be the stigma around homelessness and landlords’ misconceptions about what they might experience if they rent to someone who is homeless. Royal checks in with landlords and tenants monthly and serves as someone either party can reach out to with questions or concerns. The challenges that have come up so far stem from someone getting acclimated to living indoors. For example, Royal said he has talked to a tenant about shortening the lengths of their showers, as they were using a significant amount of hot water. Other landlords have raised concerns about tenants, who previously lived outdoors, opening their windows in the winter because they weren’t used to having heat. “Generally within a month or two, their bodies acclimate and they’re fine, but it can be a challenge for someone who has been outside for a long time to then be inside with heat,” Royal said. Landlords who lease a one-bedroom apartment or larger to someone who is homeless receive a one-time $1,500 payment and studios carry a $300 incentive as a “thank you for giving someone a chance,” Royal said. The funding for the program comes from a federal grant administered by MaineHousing. Landlords in Penobscot and Piscataquis counties who want to participate in the program can fill out a short application from Community Health and Counseling Services. The application is then considered by an independent committee of local area agencies that are working to alleviate homelessness.