Scarborough has experienced a major disruption, now building to a crisis, in recent months as five of its hotels opened their rooms to homeless people Portland could no longer serve. The hotels are reimbursed by Opportunity Alliance, a federal program. To no one’s surprise the town soon began to feel the impact.

Although issues such as drug abuse and dealing, mental illness, addiction, and domestic violence are not new to Scarborough, when they flare up in these settings alarm bells go off. This was apparent at a special town meeting held May 18 to discuss the hotels’ license renewals. As a result, further discussion became heated and the meeting adjourned for 45 days.

Scarborough residents, first of all, must face the reality that there is no turning back. These people cannot now be evicted and released to the streets as the mentally ill were when the institutions housing them closed in the 1970s. Rather an active approach is called for. Kitchens need to be installed, on-site security, social and medical services provided, local transport (perhaps by volunteers), mass transit expanded.

Ultimately (and ironically) the dilemma itself may very well be the lifeline for these aging hotels as the virus continues, jobs go unfilled and tourism wanes. In addition, their availability is a practical and immediate solution to Portland’s struggle to find sites to build new shelters.

The Chinese have a saying to the effect that every crisis engenders an opportunity. This may very well be such an opportunity.

Jean Sheridan
Scarborough

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