Contact Portland City Councilors to ask them to stop the sweeps and continue to work on solutions that will move people to shelter and housing

On Monday, November 20, 2023, at 5 pm, the Portland City Council will consider an ordinance amendment drafted by City Councilors Anna Trevorrow and Roberto Rodriguez that will effectively place a moratorium on encampment sweeps and lift the “emphasis” area designations through April 30, 2024. Please reach out to Portland City Councilors to ask them … Read more

Avesta Housing & Preble Street Announce New Site-based Housing First Partnership in Portland

Avesta Housing, the largest nonprofit affordable housing provider in northern New England, and Preble Street, a nonprofit social work agency serving the most vulnerable people in Maine, have announced plans to provide Site-based Housing First permanent housing with on-site support services to chronically homeless people on the site of the former Oxford Street homeless shelter … Read more

Help the helpers

Preble Street has many connections to Lewiston – big and small. We have an office in Lewiston, staff who live in the community and who knew the victims, friends and family who live in Lewiston, clients who have found housing and inclusion from the Lewiston community, and many partners who do amazing work on behalf of Lewiston’s hungry, impoverished, and homeless communities. We mourn those whose lives were cut short and are devastated by this senseless act of violence and the way its impacts will linger for so long.

Tell the City Council to lower barriers to shelter and STOP THE SWEEPS!

The Portland City Council is taking public comment about encampment sweeps at their meeting this Tuesday, September 26, at 5pm. Please attend and make your voices heard, OR email them before September 25 at 12pm to ensure your comments are included in their packets! Last week, Preble Street shared our recommendations for action steps on how to solve … Read more

TAKE ACTION to support our unsheltered neighbors!

Portland is facing an unprecedented crisis in unsheltered homelessness, and encampment sweeps do not solve the problem. Instead, these sweeps traumatize the already vulnerable people living in these encampments and create another spike in needed items like tents and clothing as bulldozers and trash trucks take away their few possessions. There have not been nearly … Read more

Statement on encampment clearing at Fore River Parkway from Preble Street Advocacy Supervisor

My name is Taylor Cray and I am the Advocacy Supervisor at Preble Street. I am writing to reiterate a sentiment that has been shared by outreach workers, service providers, and community members alike regarding the clearing of the encampment on the Fore River Trail.   This sweep took place despite repeated pleas from community … Read more

Avesta Housing and Preble Street applaud the signing of legislation to end chronic homelessness through Site-based Housing First programs

Photo: In March, members of the Joint Housing Committee visited Huston Commons to learn more about Site-based Housing First. Avesta Housing and Preble Street applaud the signing of the budget package by Governor Janet Mills and its inclusion of funding to support the creation of more Site-based Housing First programs across Maine. This funding will … Read more

LAST CALL: Please ask members of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee to support funding for LD1781: An Act to Establish the Homeless Substance Use Disorder Service Program!

The Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee is meeting on July 11, 2023, at 2:30 pm to decide funding priorities! Can you reach out to members RIGHT NOW to let them know how LD 1781: An Act to Establish the Homeless Substance Use Disorder Service Program will help ensure that the most vulnerable Mainers have the … Read more