AUGUSTA - The Maine House of Representatives gave initial approval on Thursday to LD 2146, sponsored by Rep. Grayson Lookner, D-Portland, that would prevent municipalities with populations exceeding 20,000 from adopting moratoria on the establishment of emergency shelters.
"Every day in Portland, I am reminded of how our lack of resources and investment in housing has contributed to homelessness," said Lookner. "This is an issue that has been plaguing our state for far too long. When large municipalities in Maine that serve as regional service centers pass moratoria on emergency shelters, it is an injustice to our unhoused neighbors. It also unfairly burdens other communities that have been doing their part."
In April 2022, the City of Lewiston passed a six-month moratorium on shelters, which prevented the establishment of a new, 24-hour low-barrier shelter to help address homelessness. LD 2146 would ensure that municipalities like Lewiston couldn't do this in the future. However, the bill does not dictate how many emergency shelters a municipality could allow, where the municipality could locate shelters or mandate that a municipality spend any money to create these shelters.
"Enacting moratoria on emergency shelters does nothing to actually solve the problem of homelessness. It simply allows municipalities to shift their responsibility onto others," said Rep. Kristen Cloutier, D-Lewiston, cosponsor of the bill. "Lewiston is the second largest municipality in Maine, yet we do not operate a public shelter. During a time when housing is scarce, and unhoused Mainers continue to struggle, we must pursue solutions that would help our unhoused community members secure a warm, safe place to stay."
The bill faces further votes in the House and Senate in the coming days.
Lookner is serving his second term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and the Joint Select Committee on Housing. He represents House District 113, which includes part of Portland.
Cloutier is the Assistant House Majority Leader and is currently serving her third consecutive term in the Maine House of Representatives. She represents House District 94, which includes part of her hometown of Lewiston.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Lookner, Cloutier], c. 305-965-2744