The City of Auburn saw a 330 percent increase in residents seeking aid from the city’s General Assistance program in 2022, according to a report released Thursday by the Auburn Community Development Office.
[RELATED: Maine Resettlement Agencies Set to Double Number of Refugees Taken in for FY24: Maine Public…]
The report, the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER), covers the city’s use of federal funds granted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME programs.
From July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, Auburn received 426 applications for General Assistance benefits, including 112 “asylum-related cases” — 509 percent more than the previous year.
Additionally, Auburn’s General Assistance Budget directed $233,375 in leveraged funds to the federal programs, a 237 percent increase over the previous year.
The funds, the city reports, were primarily used for housing, utility, and food aid for low- and moderate-income residents.
Under HUD’s HOME-American Rescue Plan program, Auburn helped 34 homeless families and 14 families at-risk of becoming homeless, according to the report.
The report also details the city’s use of COVID-era American Rescue Plan Act funds for the Project Support You (PSY) program, which pairs mental health and substance abuse crisis workers with Auburn police and fire departments.
In a collaboration with the nonprofit Tri-County Mental Health, in the first seven months covered by the report staff assisted 263 homeless individuals.
Tri-County Mental Health also provides free sterile syringes and Naloxone through its syringe exchange program.
The Auburn City Council will hold a public hearing on the report on Oct. 16.
4 Comments
MAKE IT MANDATORY that people receiving any kind of tax payer funded benefits will have to submit to weekly substance testing. If they test positive for any illicit substances the first time, give them a warning. If they test positive after the one warning, no more benefits.
Did anyone really think that issuing an open invitation to all of the world’s welfare seekers would decrease the demand for welfare in the virtue-signaling sanctuary cities ?
SECURE OUR BORDERS !
END THE SANCTUARY CITY CATASTROPHE !
END THE BOGUS “ASYLUM SEEKER “ SCAM !
END THE “ANCHOR BABY” SCAM !
DEPORT EVERYONE THAT ILLEGALLY BREACHED OUR BORDERS !
Why do our democratic politicians feel it necessary to waste hard earned taxpayer dollars supporting people that arrive here illegally and without invitation?
I was on a waiting list for 3 years with Avesta Housing for a subsidized rent in a building that since the Covid Plandemic has been “earmarked for Asylum Seekers and Paroles” That is a direct quote from the associate that took my call.
Paroles …REALLY?
I currently reside in an apartment complex purchased by a billionaire hedge fund manager who paid $107M over the previously sold for(2 years earlier ) value amount.
Also, the Asylum seekers all seem to drive very expensive cars. How did that happen?