Norway planners OK homeless shelter

NORWAY —  The planning board last Thursday approved the change in use of a building at 28 Winter Street which will soon open as a homeless shelter run by Community Concepts. 

The approval followed a 15-minute public hearing, which only a couple of residents attended, about changing the property's designation from business back to residential, as requested by CC.

Tony Morra of Bisco Properties is leasing the building to CC for the shelter. 

The three-bedroom apartment unit will be used to accommodate two families, or a maximum of seven people, at a time, said Laurie Winsor of Community Concepts, during the hearing. 

Winsor said the shelter will serve families temporarily while they look for more permanent housing. 

"It's a family-oriented program," Winsor said. 

Resident Thomas Maher questioned the number of people living in one bedroom for a long length of time.

Winsor said CC's primary clients are single mothers with several children. Or, from time to time, based on how people are transitioning, there may only be one family living in the unit. 

"This is not to be the same ideal setting as it would be in permanent housing," Winsor explained. Code Enforcement Officer Joelle Corey-Whitman said the standards are different for homeless shelters. 

According to Winsor, CC has restrictions on the types of families accepted at the shelter. She said families being served must go through an intake process to ensure they do not face domestic violence issues or other problems. 

CC has been operating one shelter in Paris for 10 years and another one in Rumford for 20 years, Winsor said. 

The Winter Street shelter will replace the Paris shelter, Winsor said. 

"On average we are seeing families stay with us for a six- to nine-month period," Winsor said, until families find Section 8 housing assistance and their own place to live. 

Families will be supervised by a social worker, Winsor said. Lisa McGee, associate director of housing and energy for Community Concepts, who also attended the hearing, will be one of the supervisors.

Winsor said families will be provided with mostly everything they need. "They are not bringing furniture or beds; that's all being provided for them," she said. 

Each of the two families will reside in their own bedroom. The third bedroom will be used as a space for families to meet with social workers privately, Winsor explained. 

She said the families will share the common living space and have full use of a kitchen and bathroom. 

According to Winsor, while operating the Paris and Rumford shelters, neither drugs nor alcohol have been an issue. However, according to reports, one person had been evicted after stealing from one of the shelters in 2003. 

McGee said there is no signage outside the building indicating that it's a shelter, as the intent is not for people to seek services spontaneously.