An update with news that Kaydenz Kitchen has announced a site for a 24-hour homeless shelter was posted Thursday morning

Former Lewiston funeral home chosen for 24-hour homeless shelter

LEWISTON — The city committed $400,000 annually for the next three years for Lewiston’s first 24-hour, low-barrier homeless shelter as officials say operator Kaydenz Kitchen has a building under contract.

However, neither the city nor Kaydenz Kitchen has disclosed the location.

A “service agreement” contract was signed Tuesday between the city and Kaydenz Kitchen after it was made public last month that the nonprofit was at risk of losing a $2.5 million MaineHousing grant if it could not find additional operational funds before an Aug. 1 deadline.

In response, city officials proposed the three-year, $1.2 million commitment to move Kaydenz Kitchen closer to its funding goals.

MaineHousing officials had told those involved that they must show proof of having two years’ worth of operational funding in place before the agency would release the $2.5 million awarded to the nonprofit last year.

The funding was meant to be used toward acquisition and startup costs for a shelter to be in place by this coming winter, but the process has been hampered by delays in funding and securing a site.

In May, Kaydenz Kitchen President Kevin Boilard said negotiations to purchase the former Schemengee’s Bar & Grille were taking longer than anticipated, and other locations were being pursued.

Kaydenz Kitchen, a local nonprofit that provides food and other items to people in need, ran a winter warming center at the former Schemengee’s this past winter.

City councilors on Tuesday debated how to move forward, with some arguing that while they support the project, the council has been presented with incomplete information and faced with last-minute decisions multiple times. Councilor David Chittim made a motion to table the vote, but was unsuccessful.

Others pointed out that since the city pursued the low-barrier shelter project, it only makes sense that it commit to funding a portion of its operational expenses.

Councilor Josh Nagine said the council has been making this decision for over a year and “at some point we either have to make the commitment or not.” He said that while he’s been against using city funds, “at this point it’s going to happen with city support or it’s not going to happen.”

Others, like Tim Gallant and Scott Harriman, said the shelter is needed to not only support the city’s most vulnerable residents, but also as a way to address the homelessness issue’s deterrent to economic development.

“This moves us forward in the direction that all of us have said we need to go,” said Councilor Susan Longchamps.

Councilor Eryn Soule-Leclair, who ultimately provided the lone vote against the contract, said she’s “not feeling great about the situation.”

“I’m not feeling comfortable when the whole project doesn’t seem secure to me,” she said. “Do we even have a building? It might be under contract, but without the money does it get purchased?”

Boilard said Tuesday that with the city’s funding commitment, he feels “extremely comfortable moving forward and meeting” the MaineHousing deadline. Boilard declined to identify the shelter location, stating Kaydenz Kitchen is still waiting for legal clarification on its contract with the seller.

Nate Libby, director of Economic and Community Development, said the building purchase is for $950,000, and the remaining MaineHousing funds would be used toward operations over the first two years.

Members of the public were also split on the issue.

Bret Martel said he is opposed to the low-barrier shelter model and committing more city funding at a time when taxes are already high and a property revaluation will soon be coming online.

Edward Belanger, a social worker at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, said a low-barrier shelter is exactly what the city needs.

He said from his time at the hospital, it’s become clear that Lewiston needs a shelter that can serve as the home base for individuals that need shelter but also as access to needed services.

“This is the group that’s committed,” he said, referring to Kaydenz Kitchen. “They know what they’re doing. It’s not just a service to homeless, it’s a service to the entire city.”

The shelter would be Androscoggin County’s first 24-hour, low-barrier shelter. While Lewiston has six shelters, including one for youth and one for victims of domestic violence, none operates 24 hours a day or is considered “low-barrier” due to requirements such as sobriety, identification or participation in religious services.

Craig Saddlemire, chair of the ad hoc shelter committee formed to pursue a low-barrier shelter in Lewiston, said other funding options that were pursued to support the shelter were unsuccessful, and MaineHousing officials want to see local support in the absence of other funding sources.

He said that while the process has been “hard and choppy,” Kaydenz Kitchen has “stuck with it through thick and thin.”

During the meeting, Boilard pushed back on what he said is a public perception that this was a new funding request. He said that in the city’s request-for-proposals for a shelter operator, Lewiston stated it would provide ongoing support. The budget provided to MaineHousing in order to secure the $2.5 million grant listed Lewiston as providing $400,000 annually, he said.

“This is a request to the city to play the role they committed to months ago,” he said. “It’s going to be a very poor look to ask for an extension because the city is unsure of their commitment to a shelter they asked for.”

The council ultimately voted 6-1 in favor of the contract.

On Wednesday, Mayor Carl Sheline said Lewiston has “come a long way since the fight against a (shelter) moratorium” several years ago.

“With funding from MaineHousing and a building under contract, along with strong community partners and support, we are poised to make a real difference for Lewiston and our unhoused neighbors,” he said.