BANGOR, Maine — Summer is finally setting in here in Maine, but this past winter is what's on the minds of city officials.
That's because that's when they saw an influx in the homeless community. It's also when the homeless shelters in town couldn't house the population during cold nights -- not even in the warming center that the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter would open.
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When the warming centers were full, the Bangor Police Department was open for people to keep warm.
"In years past, we had a few people stay with us on certain nights, but this past winter we had the largest crowds I've ever seen," Sgt. Wade Betters said.
City officials say while the problem is serious in Bangor, this isn't the only place that's dealing with it.
"It's not a Bangor specific problem. It's a state problem. I don't know what the answer is. I don't think anybody knows with the answer is, but we have to do something different," Bangor City Manager Cathy Conlow said.
Members of the homeless community say they can feel that there are more people trying to get money to feed themselves.
"I don't know what's happened. It used to be decent -- you could make 40-50 dollars in day. You could eat. But now it's like, you'll be lucky to make 10 dollars," a homeless man named Kirk said.
Because of all of these factors, the Bangor City Council has approved funding for a new city employee.
This employee would be a "boots on the ground" person who would go out into the homeless camps and figure out the needs of that community. That person would also have the resources to bring the homeless to appointments where they could begin substance abuse treatment or receive General Assistance.
"I'm thrilled that the city council has supported this position, and I'm confident that we can make a dent in this problem and make a difference," Rindy Fogler of Bangor Public Health said.
Along with that new employee, Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) will be back in Bangor doing community outreach.
"They actually go out into the field," Sgt. Betters said. "They make rounds, and they're checking on these camp sites, and they push people and try to urge people towards the services that are available."
The PATH team is getting organized now, and the new employee at Bangor City Health is expected to begin in August.