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State

Maine homeless could benefit from bill

By Associated Press
Published on Saturday, Jul 24, 2010 at 12:12 am | Last updated on Saturday, Jul 24, 2010 at 11:11 pm 3 Comments

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — New legislation introduced in the U.S. House aims to help small states like Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine deal with homelessness.

Rep. Peter Welch, a Vermont Democrat, is pushing to boost the amount small states get under a program to address homelessness.

Created in 1990, the program funds states' efforts to help those suffering from mental illness or substance abuse and who are at risk of becoming homeless.

Welch says most states have benefited from an increase in funding over the years. But 21 smaller states including the three in northern New England have received no increase from the $300,000 they got two decades ago, despite the rising cost of services and an increase in demand.

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Displaying comments, from newest to oldest

Govt2Big's picture

Voting machines at the shelters

By Govt2Big, unverified — Mon, 07/26/2010 - 06:03

What are the chances this bill will also be used to get voting machines placed at the shelters?

Jo's picture

Very Few

By Jo, unverified — Sat, 07/24/2010 - 22:45

If the homeless shelters could be truly objective here, they would probably tell you the biggest users of their facilities are those just getting out of jails/prison. Or the guy/gal who has a restraining order against them from returning home. Or the "out of stater" looking to garner bennies or shipped up on a bus from a penal institution. Or those who get evicted for trashing their apts or not paying their rent. Then again, there ARE those who WANT to live in shelters. That way, their SS income is theirs to spend any way they want. No bills...no responsibility. It's easy...

The word "homeless" invokes this warm and fuzzy desire to "help". Sometimes that "help" is more of just enabling people to take the easy way out. The ones who do become homeless due to economy/health are few and far between. Those are the truly needy. But if shelters were servicing only those people, they'd be empty most of the time.

Does Hope Haven get government $$ for each homeless person that stays there? And why does St Martins distinguish itself as one of the few shelters to take sex offenders? Wake up L/A...

xyz's picture

Let me guess...

By xyz, unverified — Sun, 07/25/2010 - 02:37

your degree comes from Glenice Beck University like so many others that KNOW IT ALL. Shhhhhhhesssssssssssss!!!

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