A disabled student has filed a federal lawsuit against Boston University, claiming the private school suspended her after failing to provide an alternative to its weekly COVID-19 testing requirement that fit her medical needs.
Portland approves plan for new shelter in Bayside
Preble Street s plan calls for as many as 40 beds, 8 feet apart to comply with COVID-19 guidelines, with meals and other services on site.
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The Portland Planning Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve Preble Street’s request to convert its former resource center in the city’s Bayside neighborhood into a 40-bed emergency shelter.
The board heard more than two and a half hours of public comment and received hundreds of emails, mostly in support of the proposed shelter at 5 Portland St. The board held two workshops leading up to Tuesday’s meeting, with most of the concerns centering around a management plan to address neighborhood concerns.
Maine homeless shelters prepare for winter challenges amidst pandemic
Staff members at the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter and Portland s Preble Street say colder weather and continued COVID-19 guidelines may cause problems this winter. Author: Chloe Teboe (NEWS CENTER Maine) Published: 8:11 AM EST December 29, 2020 Updated: 6:40 PM EST December 29, 2020
PORTLAND, Maine For most of us, 2020 has been a tough year, but as the winter moves in, one population is perhaps more vulnerable to additional challenges the homeless community.
Advocates for people experiencing homelessness say this demographic hasn t been particularly affected by the coronavirus directly, but COVID-19 social distancing guidelines may raise problems in the colder months.
Sixty-four people died in Portland while homeless in 2020. That’s according to the human services nonprofit Preble Street, which is holding its annual vigil virtually on Monday.
Caitlin Corrigan, health services director at Preble Street, says the pandemic and recession have pushed many more people in Portland and around the country into poverty and homelessness, even as some organizations have had to pull back on services to curb the spread of the disease.
“Resources are stretched more thin, people having to wait longer, people having to navigate these processes than ever before. And many for the first time,” she says.