Maine’s government has announced that the transitional housing program for asylum-seekers might come to an end by the close of this year. This decision comes as the state faces budget limitations and a decrease in the number of new asylum-seekers arriving.
Since 2022, MaineHousing has been leasing a hotel in Saco to provide a safe place for asylum-seekers. The hotel has served as a temporary home to over 700 people during this period.
The daily operations of the program are run by Catholic Charities Maine. This includes offering job training, English language lessons, and help in finding long-term housing.
However, with fewer asylum-seekers arriving in Maine and a challenging budget situation, the state government says that the $6 million annual cost of the program is no longer justified.
Charles Mugabe, the Director of Migration at Catholic Charities Maine, believes that the group will be able to help the 86 households still living at the hotel find permanent homes. He expressed confidence in working together with the state’s housing partners to find these families a place to stay. Mugabe mentioned that most of the adults in the program who are eligible to work have already found employment.
“We are proud of our work so far, and we feel grateful for the opportunity to support these individuals as they build their new lives in Maine,” said Mugabe.
The lease for the hotel is set to end on September 30 of this year.
(Source : newsbreak.com)
