PORTLAND (WGME) -- Crews were out in Portland's Deering Oaks Park Tuesday, once again cleaning up makeshift camps as those experiencing homelessness continue to flock to the area.
"They came in here bright and early this morning, the sun was barely up, and told us that we all had to leave," Abraham Gammon, who is currently experiencing homelessness, said.
The park is considered an "emphasis" area by the city, allowing crews to more easily monitor and enforce the "no camping" rule there. While those experiencing homelessness can be in the park, they can't permanently live there.
"Basically they just started picking things up and throwing it into that big dump truck," Jennifer Velez, who has been living in the park for two months and had to give up her tent, said. "It's not right. We have nowhere to go right now. We're fighting for a place to stay."
It's a sad and vicious cycle for many of the hundreds of people who are living on the streets in Portland and it shows no signs of slowing down.
"We continue to be in a crisis situation," Portland's Director of Health and Human Services Kristen Dow said. "We have 300 municipally owned and operated shelter beds in the city of Portland, and we have been consistently providing emergency shelter to over 1,000 people per night for the past year."
The city will open a new Homeless Services Center in the spring, which will include more beds, but the overall need continues to grow. The center will be on Riverside Street and is expected to finish ahead of schedule in March.
CBS13 Reporter Dan Lampariello: "When that opens, do you see some of the issues that we're seeing, say in Deering Oaks Park, being alleviated?"
Dow: "Yes. I do think a lot of issues will be resolved with the new Homeless Services Center, but it won't solve all the issues because there's 208 beds and we have a lot of need in our state."
Preble Street will also open a new homeless "Wellness Center" next week in the Bayside neighborhood. While plans like that from non-profits will play a part in solving this crisis, the city hopes the state and other communities can step up as well.
"It can't just be one strategy," Dow said. "We need more shelters open across the state not just in one municipality. Like I said, this is something that one municipality can't do alone."
While a permanent solution still seems far off, those without a permanent place to live just hope they're not forgotten.
"Maybe it will raise awareness and open a few eyes," Gammon said. "Because we're not all bad. "
One of the other major issues impacting homelessness in Portland is substance use. The city's shelters have a strict no drug policy, which is why some of those staying at Deering Oaks say they have no where else to go.