Tent city at Willand Warming Center draws complaints: 'Fund us to stay open,' leader says

SOMERSWORTH — Amy Malone is willing to fight for her clients, unhoused people who come to the Willand Warming Center for food, shelter and a shower. But they can only go inside when the center opens, which is limited to extremely cold nights and in severe storms.

Tents have begun popping up behind the building, and some area residents are unhappy about it.

So where do the people go when the center is closed? Some of them have been pitching tents behind the center, drawing the fury of people Malone says do not understand. The center is scheduled to close for the season April 1.

"Give us one space where they can go," she said. "We are seeing 75-90 people a night when we open. Where are they going when they are not here? They have been kicked off of private and public property, city property. We have one woman out there in a wheelchair, one on oxygen, a man who is deaf and just got out of the hospital for pneumonia. Where are you going to send them? This is where they live. This is where they feel safe, and where they can take a shower once in a while."

About eight tents are currently located behind the center. Malone said the people there need a safe place to be, and they need people to care.

"Fund us so we can stay open, so we can let them inside," said Malone to those complaining about the sight of a tent community. "For every person who says no to this, I bet there are 10 who will say yes. Give us a fence and we'll make it work."

Malone is one of the three principals of Karlee's Home Team, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contracted for winter 2023-24 to run the Willand Center. She is passionate about helping her clients, and she is not afraid to let them, or anyone else see her tears.

Tri-City mayors, Strafford County leaders to meet with Karlee's Home Team

The Willand Center operates on a memorandum of understanding between the cities of Somersworth, Dover and Rochester, working with Strafford County commissioners. The center is located in Somersworth, owned by Dover and each city contributes to its operation. Last year, Dover attempted to sell the building.

"It is in an industrial zone and there are uses that could be made of that," Dover Mayor Bob Carrier said Wednesday. "I want to help the homeless population, but this is not working."

In response to concerns raised by the tri-city mayors, Malone requested a meeting and said she is ready to make her case.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 11 in the Strafford County Commission offices at 259 County Farm Road.

"I don't know if it is open to the public," said Malone. "I would like it to be."

County Commission Chair George Maglaras said the meeting is to discuss contract negotiations with Karlee's Home Team, so it is not subject to Right to Know law and will not be open to the public. He offered to discuss afterwards information that can be made public.

According to the commission agenda, at least part of the meeting, beginning at 4 p.m., in the commission offices at 259 County Farm Road, appears to be open to the public, a meeting between the commissioners, the three mayors and Karlee's Home Team.

Karlee's Home Team's current contract was to run the shelter November 2023 through March 2024.

Maglaras said the commissioners want to explore options for solutions.

"The bigger question, beyond location, is operations, who pays for it," Maglaras said. "Beyond just a building, these folks need case management and life skills. Some are just priced out of the market. ... These situations are complicated and cannot all be painted with the same broad brush."

Somersworth city councilor calls tents 'a bad image'

At this past Monday's City Council meeting in Somersworth, the topic of the warming center and the tents was not on the agenda, but it came up.

"We now have a tent city out back on the hot top," said Councilor Denis Messier. "This was not the original agreement, and I will not support any extensions this year or even any for next year. The Tri-Cities need a new plan. People are driving by and seeing this, on valuable commercial land. It's a bad image. I want to help these people, but they need to help us, too."

Somersworth Mayor Matt Gerding said he and the other mayors are aware of the tents.

"We will meet next week with Karlee's Home Team to discuss this," he said.

Carrier, reached by phone, said he has driven by to see the tents.

"It's a slippery slope," he said. "I do not want to see anyone go in there with a bulldozer. That is not the answer, but some of this has spread to the Garabedian property, and he is not happy. We need a plan. We need to go in and see what we can offer, perhaps with our welfare departments. We own the building but work with the other cities. Karlee's Home Team are doing a great job. They are true humanitarians with really big hearts. I want to find the best answer."

The neighboring Garabedian private property is where police cleared homeless encampments in November 2021 after complaints from the property owner and other residents.

Malone makes case for shelter being open full-time

Malone said dedicating a place that is always accessible would help, and she and her team are willing to make that work.

Malone also acknowledged she and her team are exhausted, often operating on little or no sleep.

"I don't care," she said. "I cannot turn my back, cannot turn away from these people. We have been closed because it is warmer, but it has rained for a week, everything outside is wet. but this is what they have. Give me one space where they can go. Fund us, so we can stay open."

Malone talked about the clearing of camps near Willand Pond in 2021.

"Where do you think those people went?" she asked. "Well, a lot of them died. And some of them are still here. They just keep moving, hiding, getting kicked out, on the run all the time. These people are not doing anything wrong. Who are we?"

Malone said a person stopped at the shelter after seeing blankets out drying, hung wherever.

"It rained and all their stuff is wet," she said. "We can't let them in to do laundry, so what were they supposed to do?"

'No idea where I am going to go'

Jessy James uses the center whenever she can. She admits to an addiction problem but said she wants help to get her life back on track. She grew up in Rochester, and when her mother died, she lost the house.

"I didn't ask to live like this, it is not something I chose," she said. "It is inhumane the way some people treat us, the way they look at us. I have no idea where I am going to go if I can't stay here."

Dylan, a man in his 60s, is staying in James' tent and was recently released from the hospital, recovering from pneumonia, James said.

"I have taken care of him for a few years now," said James. "Where do I take him? Where is he safe? Maybe these people who think we're lazy, or bad, should try staying out here a week, living like we do. We are not doing this for fun. This is our life."

"How would you feel?" Willand Warming Center clients see hurtful remarks on homeless:

Malone said she knows of landlords of older buildings who are willing to work with the unhoused.

"But every time they try, they get zoning thrown at them," she said. "Let's work with them. Let's care about these people. I have people here with mental health or substance use issues. They need someone to help. But we also see older people forced out of their homes. We have people here who have jobs, who work very hard but who cannot afford the rents. We need to give them a hand up, help them get back on track."

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Tent city at Willand Warming Center in Somersworth faces public ire