Willand Warming Center tent city tension leads to talks, but no easy solutions

DOVER — There was no easy answer to the question of how to care for the unhoused population of Strafford County as Willand Warming Center leaders met with county commissioners and Tri-City mayors Monday.

Especially with the warming center slated to close at the end of March.

Leaders from Karlee's Home Team — the nonprofit contracted by Dover, Rochester and Somersworth to operate the center in Somersworth — encountered some tough questions at first in Monday's meeting. The tension stems from tents some of the center's clients have been staying in on the Willand grounds when the warming center is closed.

The center only opens in extreme cold and during winter storms. The tents aren't authorized and some community leaders and residents have been critical of the tent city, with one city councilor in Somersworth calling it a "bad image."

Previous story: Tent city at Willand Warming Center draws complaints

Karlee's Home Team President Amy Malone, who last week told Foster's Daily Democrat her clients don't have other places to go when the center is closed, came in ready to advocate for her clients. Monday's public meeting drew a substantial number of concerned residents, too.

Dover Mayor Carrier warned Malone to be careful.

"I commend your work, but we laid it on emergency management to call the time (for the center) to be open," Carrier said. "This is a warming center, not 24 hours. We are sitting at home in our warm houses, with food, watching television. But I think at this point we all understand we need to find solutions."

Malone said she didn't ask Foster's for news coverage of the tent city.

"We did not go to the press, and this was not a planned attack," she said, in response to a question about the Foster's article. "They came to us, asked questions and we answered. Two years ago, this center was funded 24/7. Last year, it was stepped back but was still open every Sunday. This year you've done even less. Thirty-two degrees is freezing, it's cruel and unusual. If you think it's still 25 degrees out, when you are concerned about them leaving a backpack, your privilege is showing. We served 90 people, with two toilets. It's horrible."

Pushing for a good end to season for warming center

All the players seemed to come together, vowing to work to make the next few weeks run smoothly and to make a commitment to find a better solution for next winter.

Malone and co-director Melena Lugo asked where their clients are supposed to go when the center's closed. Some of them have substance use disorders and don't qualify for shelters that have barriers to entry.

"We know we need this; we know it’s a national housing crisis, the question is how," said Strafford County Commission Chair George Maglaras.

One small concession agreed to Monday is for the remainder of the season, which ends March 31, the center will be allowed to open on Sundays, regardless of the temperature. The purpose is to have more time to connect clients with services they need.

Coreen Toussaint, a registered nurse at Goodwin Community Health, helped connect the center with a day of service already this year. She said she will help with the remaining Sundays.

"We could connect people to Medicaid, health care, housing, transportation or getting their ID back," she said. "We got 37 people connected that day and we made a big impact. We want to reach more."

Possible solution was rejected in December

Maglaras reminded the group the county commissioners had proposed a solution: Building a new $170 million nursing home on County Farm Road in Dover and converting the county's existing Riverside Rest Home into transitional housing for the unhoused population. It was rejected by the county's delegation of state representatives in December.

"Riverside would have been perfect if we had passed the bond," Maglaras said. "We need a new nursing home to make that happen. The delegation wrote me a letter that said 'no more discussion regarding the homeless.' They think they are all drug addicts but able bodied and should be going to work. I am seeing elderly people 60, 70 living in their car. I am tired of the fact that we can’t make this better."

Maglaras said 40% of the clients at Cross Roads House in Portsmouth come from Strafford County with nowhere else to go.

"Their model is a great one. We proposed a similar move for the county complex," said Maglaras. "I think we should run to end of contract and have a serious discussion. Anyone who thinks numbers are going down is crazy. We are seeing more and more people on (Social Security Income), the elderly, the disabled. My heart bleeds for them. Those folks are in trouble. Kicked out. A 60-year-old vet with one leg, making $900 a month, how do you serve them? We are faced with a large problem, us and nationally. The governor is sitting on surplus, we will go to him for help."

Dover City Manager Michael Joyal said homelessness is not an issue that is going to be solved locally.

"There are programs available through the state," he said. "There needs to be a higher level of organization to address the wealth of problems driving homelessness. We do not need all individual nonprofits fighting for the same dollar."

Leaders express support for Karlee's Home Team but no solution is in sight

Somersworth Mayor Matt Gerding said to close out the year, get to the finish line with things going smoothly, with people keeping themselves alive and safe.

"You have done a great job with the resources you have," said Gerding. "What concerns me is the size of the center. We are at and over capacity often. That said, I'd love to continue the warming center, so my goal is to try and find ways to make the building work as is or find a new building. I do not think this building fits the need for a full-time shelter. As a group, we need to get creative. Let’s get to the finish line and start looking at what we need for next year. We are getting there, we are talking; we need services that align with it if that is the direction we choose to go."

"I really appreciate your work; you are saving people’s lives, and we are also looking at the finish line," said Rochester Mayor Paul Callaghan. "Let's continue to discuss what works, what we need to improve on. The Willand building is not a 24/7 place, and I do not think it is up to code for that. We have advocated for transportation and we got COAST (bus) on board. We have worked closely with HUD, health care is a tough one, and rental assistance is a state-level issue. Thank you so much for the work you’ve done, for stepping up."

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Willand Warming Center tent city tension leads gets leaders talking