Maine and New Hampshire police played hot potato this weak with a woman experiencing homelessness in yet another sad episode of Maine’s housing and homelessness crisis.
The woman, who police have not provided details about, was driven from Sanford, ME to Manchester, NH after Sanford cops led her to believe a shelter bed was available for her there, according to a report in the Union Leader.
But that wasn’t true — there was no bed for her at a Manchester shelter, but a Sanford police officer driving an unmarked cruiser left her there anyways.
After spending the night at a different warming shelter, the woman made her way to the Manchester Police Department, where arrangements were made to transport her back to a homeless shelter in Portland.
Sanford PD hasn’t said what exactly happened.
Southern Maine shelters are currently bursting at the seams, with Maine’s unhoused population spilling over into many churches and hotels in the Portland area.
Several cities, including South Portland, are currently engaged in spirited debates over the future of homeless shelters and lodging for the unhoused.
