LANDLORDS CAN HELP END HOMELESSNESS IN MAINE
Homelessness in Maine continues to increase due in part to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the affordable housing crisis. In the first year of the pandemic, the amount of time it took to connect people experiencing homelessness to housing extended from an average of 86 to 232 days.
The good news is HOMELESSNESS IS A SOLVABLE PROBLEM. To address homelessness in Maine, we need landlords.
KEY INFORMATION FOR LANDLORDS WHO WANT TO HELP
Preble Street will not refer a client to you unless we believe the agreement will work financially. If we are referring a client to you, we have a plan.
Preble Street staff build genuine, trusting relationships with the people we serve, and with client consent we’re able to share information to help you with admission decisions.
Our programs — which include Veterans Housing Services, Teen Housing Services, Health Services, and Rapid Re-Housing — provide professional support for you and your tenants. If you work with us, and a tenant issue arises, we can help mediate and resolve tenant issues through the professional support we provide.
We work with clients both before and after they are housed, and for as long as they need to ensure stability. If a client is no longer enrolled in our program, our outreach staff can still provide check-ins.
Supporting people experiencing homelessness helps individuals and the greater community. If you have available units and want to rent them to people experiencing homelessness, please reach out to us at LandlordsHelp@preblestreet.org.
I come from a family with a long line of military service in multiple branches. Veterans services is a cause that is near to my heart, and through Preble Street, we have been able to assist many veterans in their housing journey. The team at Preble Street is extremely communicative and open about the needs of their clients, and always steps up to the plate to assist in every way they can. Through Padmission, we are able to easily list our available units in one place, making accessibility easier for the clients. We will continue to work with Preble Street in the future as I am secure in knowing the range of their services is broad and always evolving to assist Veterans, first. I encourage other property managers and owners to work with Preble Street. Their respect, dedication, and kindness in their work with our service members is unmatched in the field, and I always know when talking with Preble Street staff that the best interest of the client is always the most important need to be met.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Assistance accessing public benefits and community resources
- Budget counseling
- Referrals to employment specialists
- Connection to medical and mental healthcare
- Limited financial assistance
The role of Preble Street staff is to support tenants so they can meet the terms of their lease and be successful in rental housing. We help tenants overcome challenges in their tenancy, but we are not able to enforce rental-housing laws on the landlord’s behalf. Working with Preble Street in no way impacts a landlord’s duty to follow all applicable rental housing laws.
Our goal is to provide landlords and tenants with an open line of communication to solve Landlord-Tenant concerns before the need of escalation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the case manager or organization working with that client.
Email landlordshelp@preblestreet.org or call 207-956-6557
For more information, contact Preble Street staff:
LandlordsHelp@preblestreet.org
LEARN ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF MOVING INTO HOUSING
Peter’s Story
Peter was homeless for eight months, sleeping on the street and in different shelters in Augusta and Lewiston. He’s an Air Force Veteran, originally from Madawaska, Maine, who lost housing when his landlord increased his rent with only a month’s notice. “I had an apartment for seven years. New landlord bought it and told me
Ron’s Story
“I’ll say it 1000 times over, the VA saved my life,” shares Ron. Ron is a former U.S. Marine. He currently lives at a residential facility in Lewiston, Maine, operated by Veteran’s Inc., a nonprofit that provides support services to Veterans and Veteran families across New England. They are a trusted partner of Preble Street, working
Austin’s Story
When he first shared his story in the fall of 2022, Austin was spending his nights at the Preble Street Joe Kreisler Teen Shelter or outside on the streets. But for the past six months, Austin has been living in a one-bedroom apartment in Portland with a roommate and working as much as possible at
