Disclaimer: The views I express here are my own and should NOT be construed as speaking for the City of Bangor or the City Council of Bangor.
The Special City Council Workshop held on January 13, 2026, focused on a public health overview regarding the existing service network for the unhoused in Bangor and examples of strategic planning. The Public Health Director and the Chief of Police provided detailed updates on the current system’s operations and the challenges faced by local agencies.
Public Health and Service Overview
- Homelessness Landscape: Public Health Director noted approximately 614 active cases of homelessness in Hub 7 (Penobscot and Piscataquis County), based on Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data.
- Drivers of Homelessness: Key factors identified include economic instability, lack of affordable housing, domestic violence, and a significant anecdotal trend of individuals aging out of the foster care system without adequate support.
- Pathways to Housing: The system utilizes on-the-ground outreach teams (e.g., BCAT, PATH, Home Team) to engage individuals and enter them into the HMIS database, which uses a scoring system to allocate housing vouchers through coordinated entry.
- Housing Stabilization: A city-led program successfully kept 90 people housed over the past year through landlord-tenant mediation and providing tangible items like furniture to prevent evictions.
State Accountability and My Concerns
I expressed significant frustration regarding a perceived lack of accountability and coordination at the state level. I highlighted several systemic failures:
- Failed Deadlines and Reporting: I criticized the state for reporting that they are “doing better” while deadlines for various initiatives consistently pass without forensic accounting of why goals were not met.
- Concurrent Failed Plans: I noted that at one point the state had four concurrent plans that ultimately failed to produce results:
- Ineffective Coordination: I pointed out that the “Built for Zero” statewide contract was unceremoniously canceled without explanation. I argued that in 2026, resource tracking should be computerized and real-time rather than relying on weekly case management meetings to manually tally resources.
- I said, “this a system where your odds of being housed has to do that you have the right case manager who was in the right meeting writing down the right resources.”
- I spoke of the lack of a centralized repository for resources, noting that providers currently have to wait for weekly case management meetings to manually “compare notes and tally things down” instead of having real-time access to information.
- I said, “this a system where your odds of being housed has to do that you have the right case manager who was in the right meeting writing down the right resources.”
Bangor Community Action Team (BCAT) Update
- Response Model: The Chief of Police explained that BCAT serves as an alternative response for personal crises and mental health issues, aiming to divert these calls away from traditional police officers.
- Operational Strain: While intended to be a four-person team, BCAT is currently operating with only two members. In 2025, the team responded to over 1,800 calls, with some interactions lasting two to three hours.
- Impact on Policing: Approximately 20% of daily police calls are related to the unhoused population; this figure rises to nearly one-third when including mental health and substance abuse issues.
Next Steps
The council is moving forward with the formation of a new committee dedicated to homelessness. The Public Health Director is currently drafting the committee’s structure, which will incorporate concepts from my proposal and input from various city departments.
