'They deserve not to die in the woods': Rochester joins Tri-City pact to help the homeless

ROCHESTER -- The City Council Tuesday unanimously approved supporting the Willand Warming Center for the upcoming winter for seasonal use only, not as a residential center. 

The council's vote was the last needed in a cooperative agreement between the Tri-Cities. The cities of Dover and Somersworth had already voted to support the Willand resolution. 

The resolution authorizes the Tri-Cities to work collaboratively to operate an emergency cold weather warming center at 30 Willand Drive in Somersworth from November 2022 through March 2023, to include an agreement with a third party organization to provide services.

Mayor Paul Callaghan asked the council to support the resolution. Also speaking to the need were Somersworth Mayor Dana Hilliard, Dover Mayor Bob Carrier and Chair of the Strafford County Board of Commissioners George Maglaras.

The Tri-City plan calls for returning the Willand Center to a seasonal warming center for this year. Last winter, after a large homeless encampment was cleared from the area around Willand Pond, the center was opened as a full-time shelter. 

"None of us will end homelessness on our own," said Hilliard. "But collectively, we can find a short-term solution and a long-term agreement. So let us make Willand a seasonal center as it was always intended to be, and continue to strengthen the Tri-City agreements and take the lead on this for a more permanent solution."

The Willand Center was purchased by Dover as a cold weather shelter using federal grant money. Callaghan said the building is located in a commercial/industrial site and was never intended for use as a residential shelter. He said it has only one bathroom.

Willand Center did not work as full-time shelter

Hilliard said that after last winter, it became apparent the Willand Center did not work as a shelter.

"It put incredible stressors on our emergency services," said Hilliard. "They could not keep up with the calls. The building itself is not up to code. We need to work with our non-profit partners, concerned citizens and municipalities to come up with a long-term solution, and I think we have found a good plan."

That plan, Maglaras explained, is to construct a new county nursing home, saying it will free up the current location to be used as a homeless shelter.

In the interim, the mayors said it is imperative to form stronger partnerships with the people and the agencies that can help with the interim solution, and help prepare for the more permanent homeless shelter to come.

Finally, the Tri-City mayors acknowledged the problem of homelessness cannot be addressed without working to make sure there is affordable housing.

Dover Mayor Robert Carrier was born and raised in the city.

"When I was much younger, there were many buildings with rooms for rent," he said. "People rented a room, went to work and returned. They paid maybe $100 a week and shared a bathroom. It worked but it is not that way anymore. This is a good plan and I hope people will support it. How will people know when the center is open? There is a 'grapevine' among the homeless and with agencies like community action. They will know."

Carrier said supporting the plan means the Tri-City region will have "something unbelievable" in a few years.

"We will be able to help our homeless transition to a better life," he said. "We can feed them, house them and take them out of drug addiction. We can offer something similar to Cross Roads House, something with a real plan, real programs to help."

Volunteers not able to meet needs

Rochester City Councilor Amy Malone, who works with homeless populations, said she volunteered at the Willand Center last winter as well as when it was a seasonal warming center.

"When it opened a lot of people said they would volunteer," said Malone. "But we had volunteers not show up. We had food not show up. The center did not always open when it was cold. I hope this is done better. This population deserves not to die in the woods. That has already happened. Yes, it strained services, but the alternative is to go to them in the woods, and maybe to retrieve a body."

Councilor Ashley Desrochers pointed out that homeless or not, the people are residents and neighbors.

"The homeless are often veterans," she said. "They might be 18 years old or persons with a substance use disorder. They deserve our help."

"All of us need to actively look at our zoning and planning regulations, to make it easier to place workforce housing," said Hilliard. "We need to lean on developers. We can lead the way, but only if all these components are met."