Current:Home > Contact-usLast major homeless encampment cleared despite protest in Maine’s largest city-InfoLens
Last major homeless encampment cleared despite protest in Maine’s largest city
View Date:2024-12-23 12:02:07
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The city of Portland towed about 20 vehicles that attempted to block heavy equipment from clearing the last of the large homeless encampments in Maine’s largest city on Tuesday, officials said.
The vehicles were parked deliberately in an emergency no-parking zone on Commercial Street to stop or delay city workers, necessitating their removal, said city spokesperson Jessica Grondin.
Protesters also formed a human chain near the encampment before the crowd dispersed with no arrests, she said.
The Harbor View Memorial Park encampment had about 70 tents — though many of them were unoccupied — and the city now has enough capacity to accommodate the occupants in city shelters, Grondin said. Outreach workers were on hand to discuss options with displaced occupants.
Homelessness swelled over the summer in Portland with the arrival of hundreds of asylum seekers. The city sheltered about 1,200 people per night in June.
The situation has improved since then with the expansion of an existing shelter and the creation of a new shelter with 120 beds dedicated specifically to individual asylum seekers, Grondin said.
As of Tuesday morning, the city had 57 beds for men and 29 beds for women available, she said.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Chrysler recalls over 200k Jeep, Dodge vehicles over antilock-brake system: See affected models
- Taylor Swift's Travis Kelce-themed jewelry is surprisingly affordable. Here's where to buy
- Correction: Palestinian Groups-Florida story.
- Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and SZA are poised to win big at the Grammys. But will they?
- Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger welcome their first son together
- She hoped to sing for a rap icon. Instead, she was there the night Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay died
- Annette Bening named Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year
- New Jersey denies bulkhead for shore town with wrecked sand dunes
- Will Trump curb transgender rights? After election, community prepares for worst
- New Hampshire school worker is charged with assaulting 7-year-olds, weeks after similar incident
Ranking
- Disney Store's Black Friday Sale Just Started: Save an Extra 20% When You Shop Early
- Here’s What’s Coming to Netflix in February 2024
- FBI Director Chris Wray warns Congress that Chinese hackers targeting U.S. infrastructure as U.S. disrupts foreign botnet Volt Typhoon
- What are the Iran-backed groups operating in the Middle East, as U.S. forces come under attack?
- Denzel Washington Will Star in Black Panther 3 Before Retirement
- The crane attacked potential mates. But then she fell for her keeper
- Mississippi House passes bill to legalize online sports betting
- Kelly Clarkson opens up about diagnosis that led to weight loss: 'I wasn't shocked'
Recommendation
-
All Social Security retirees should do this by Nov. 20
-
Duke Energy seeks new ways to meet the Carolinas’ surging electric demand
-
Walmart stores to be remodeled in almost every state; 150 new locations coming in next 5 years
-
Investigation into killings of 19 burros in Southern California desert hits possible breakthrough
-
Oil Industry Asks Trump to Repeal Major Climate Policies
-
Arkansas police chief arrested and charged with kidnapping
-
Authorities capture man accused of taking gun from scene of fatal Philadelphia police shooting
-
Arizona lawmaker Amish Shah resigns, plans congressional run