A rendering of Tedford Housing’s proposed new facility in Brunswick. Courtesy of Tedford Housing
Brunswick’s planning board gave Tedford Housing’s plans for a new emergency homeless shelter preliminary approval Tuesday.
The 17,568-square-foot facility would increase Tedford’s adult emergency housing capacity from 16 to 24 beds and have space to accommodate up to 10 families, for a total of 64 beds. The board voted unanimously in favor.
Tedford now has one emergency shelter for adults and one for families. The adult shelter currently operates at a reduced capacity of 10 beds due to COVID-19. The proposal would replace the existing shelters with one building with two wings across from Walmart in Cook’s Corner.
The proposed shelter would be located at 107 Thomas Point Road in Brunswick.
“We evaluated dozens of sites and selected the location on Thomas Point Road because it best meets the needs of our guests,” Tedford’s Director Rota Knott said. “It is easily accessible and in close proximity to a variety of resources, supportive services including the hospital, other healthcare safety net organizations, transportation, career services and employment opportunities.”
Citing aging facilities, Tedford has wanted to expand since 2013. Until recently, zoning issues stood in the way.
In 2019, the town council approved two zoning ordinances regulating where homeless shelters can be located and how they are allowed to operate in Brunswick, finally allowing Tedford to resume expansion plans it had been forced to shelve a year prior.
Among those who spoke in favor of Tedford’s plans on Tuesday were town councilors Kathy Wilson and Dan Ankeles, state Sen. Mattie Daughtry, Brunswick Housing Authority Executive Director John Hodge, state Rep. Poppy Arford and Mid Coast-Parkview Health President and CEO Lois Skillings.
Tedford Housing’s Cumberland Street unit in Brunswick, as seen in this March 2017 file photo (Ben Goodridge / The Times Record)
“The homeless that Tedford supports, they are not criminals and dangerous aberrants,” said Tedford Housing Shelter Attendant Cecilia Hitte. “They’re people whom our current housing crisis has brought to Tedford. I’ve never been afraid of the people I support, and I’m often proud and impressed by the grace and stamina with which they carry on in circumstances that most of the rest of us don’t appreciate.”
Between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, Tedford turned away 284 individuals and 74 families because it didn’t have space. In total, 38 adult guests and 15 families were given rooms. The average stay in the adult shelter was 74 days, and 124 days for the family shelter.
About five Brunswick residents spoke in opposition.
“I will fight this every step of the way, and I am begging you all here to see that this is just not the proper location,” said neighborhood resident Jennifer Navarro. “I ask that you protect us as our town elects and realize that a lot of families are living right there and none of us feel safe.”
Michael Mulligan, owner of Thomas Point Beach, a nearby campground and music venue, said that while he supports the project and recognizes the need for housing, “the location is awful” in part because the intersection is dangerous for foot traffic.
Mulligan also said the prepared statements by supporters show “an organized defensive of the project,” and the town should notify neighbors in wider proximity than the legal requirement.
Cook’s Corner is a predominantly commercial area, populated by strip malls and chain stores. Tedford plans to provide transportation through a van as well as taxi and bus fare. Brunswick’s public transportation also has a stop at Walmart.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2020 annual homeless assessment report states that, on a single night in January of 2020, 2,097 Maine people were homeless, 141 of which were unsheltered.
This translates to 15.6 out of every 10,000 people experiencing homelessness in Maine on that day, although, Knott said she believes the numbers are greater.
There are 42 total emergency shelters listed by The Maine State Housing Authority, nine of which are in Cumberland County.
Tedford hopes to receive final approval at the Nov. 9 planning board meeting. The cost of the project has yet to be determined.
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