Sen. Talbot Ross bill to stabilize emergency shelter funding advances with strong, bipartisan support in committee

Posted: April 08, 2025 | Housing and Economic Development, Senator Talbot Ross

AUGUSTA – On Tuesday, April 8, the Joint Standing Committee on Housing and Economic Development voted in strong, bipartisan support of a bill from Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, that would provide a critical funding boost to Maine’s emergency shelter system. LD 698, “An Act to Sustain Emergency Homeless Shelters in Maine,” aims to provide ongoing funds to support emergency homeless shelters in Maine.

“Maine’s emergency shelters are on the front lines of our housing crisis, providing safety, dignity and critical support to people in their most vulnerable moments,” said Sen. Talbot Ross. “I’m grateful to the committee for recognizing the importance of this bill and the need for stable, ongoing funding. This investment won’t solve homelessness overnight, but it will help keep shelter doors open and ensure that Maine people can continue to rely on these life-saving services.”

Maine’s state funding for emergency shelter operations has remained flat at $2.5 million since 2016, even as demand and costs have surged. A 2024 MaineHousing study found that the average cost to operate a single shelter bed is $102 per night. The current state subsidy covers just $7.16 of that cost, forcing shelters to rely on unstable outside funding. By providing $5 million each year to the Shelter Operating Subsidy administered by MaineHousing, LD 698 would increase the subsidy to $19 per bed night, a modest but meaningful improvement.

Without this funding, shelter providers risk reducing services or closing their doors, leaving more people unsheltered and increasing pressure on emergency rooms, law enforcement and other public systems.

LD 698 now faces votes in the Senate and House.

Sen. Talbot Ross represents part of Portland and Peaks Island in the Maine Senate.

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