The City Council eliminated parking along a stretch of Ash Street this week due to what the city and neighbors say is ongoing solicitation, prostitution and drug activity.

The parking ban, which the council unanimously supported, will affect Ash Street between Howe and Horton streets on one side, and between the Prince Street Alley and Horton Street on the other.

Kevin Boilard, president of the Alter L/A warming center at 70 Horton St., told officials Tuesday that on any given day, there are men parked in vehicles along that stretch attempting to solicit women for sex. He said neighbors he’s talked to have seen it happening for so long, it’s become normalized.

“Our property has become the backdrop of a year-round pattern of men driving through the neighborhood and openly soliciting on our streets,” he said. “This is not an occasional problem. If anyone was to sit in our parking lot for an hour, they would likely witness an older male pulling up and attempting to solicit a younger woman.”

Councilor Scott Harriman, who lives around the corner, said he walks by almost every day.

“I see one car that’s parked there for legitimate reasons. Many others park there for other reasons,” he said.

Boilard said that since the warming center opened on Nov. 1, the issue has seemed more urgent, with staff concerned for the safety of female guests. He said staff members have even approached by some of the men and been threatened with violence.

Since opening, the warming center has averaged about 50 people a night, roughly 40% of whom are women, he said.

“We don’t want to expose them to exploitation,” he said. “This is a small but important step. It’s not just a parking matter, it’s public safety and community values.”

Lewiston police Lt. James Theiss said Boilard requested that parking be prohibited between Howe and Horton streets on both sides of Ash Street, but that due to the residence on the Prince Street Alley side a compromise was made.

Councilor Sue Longchamps, who owns the nearby Webb’s Market, said she’s been witnessing the issues there for a long time. She said she’s felt sorry for the senior citizens who live at the Frye School Apartments on Ash Street.

“The things they’ve had to see and witness, it’s really sad,” she said.

Councilors Harriman and Josh Nagine said that while they supported the move, eliminating parking won’t solve the larger issues. Harriman pointed to a similar discussion earlier this year on parking along Kennedy Park, during which he made the same argument.

“I’m frustrated that once again rather than addressing the issues happening, we’re just pushing them around the corner or into other neighborhoods,” he said. “I wish that we could get to the point where we address the crimes directly.”

“It doesn’t stop the trafficking and exploitation,” Nagine said. “I’m in support of this, but there’s still a huge challenge in reaching these women.”

Longchamps said she’d like to see more community organizations doing work to support the women on the streets who turn to sex work.

“We need mentoring and other ways to help these ladies. It’s not just the law enforcement to blame on this issue,” she said.

Mayor Carl Sheline said that while “the city’s challenges need long-term solutions, steps like these help mitigate problems right now for our businesses and neighborhoods.”