Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

Homeless no longer in Oakland

Project houses veterans in energy-efficient apartment building

By Erin Rhoda erhoda@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

OAKLAND -- Ron Bigelow lived for eight years in homeless shelters from North Carolina to Maine.

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RESPECT: Harry Stickney of VFW Post 887 in Augusta hoists an American flag beside Cullen Ryan, executive director of Community Housing of Maine, during a celebration of the opening Tuesday in Oakland for veterans.

Staff photo by David Leaming

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He spent 35 years using drugs and alcohol, he said. He used to ride with Hells Angels, he said.

He also was in the Army from 1972 to 1974.

"I lived wild. I'm 55 years old now, and I'm glad I'm able to settle down," he said Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the apartment building for homeless veterans on Fairfield Street.

"I love it here," Bigelow said, who has lived in an apartment at the six-unit, energy-efficient building since March 6. "I'm five-and-a-half years clean of drugs and alcohol."

About 35 neighbors, officials and residents gathered at the site for a flag-raising ceremony and barbecue to commemorate the official opening of the housing project. Five apartments are occupied by veterans and another is scheduled to move in soon.

The housing project is a collaboration between Community Housing of Maine, which will own and manage the property, and Togus VA Medical Center, which provides support services for the residents.

Mike Bennett, 60, has lived in his new apartment since May 24 and said his time has been "excellent." He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve when he was 16 years old, he said.

A few years ago he lost his house in Pittsfield after his best friend had a stroke and could not contribute to payments, he said. He found himself at Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter in Waterville.

His new apartment has wood floors, a living area, a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom.

The building he lives in has energy-efficient baseboard heaters and is insulated to preserve the heat generated by a propane boiler. The windows, ventilation system and roofing are all designed to be energy-efficient.

"Basically, I would like to be able to take and find employment, at least part-time, for the next year or so, because after that I'm eligible for retirement," Bennett said, adding that it is difficult to find a job at age 60.

He used to be a night auditor for hotels, he said, and before that, was a mental health worker in Connecticut.

About 750 veterans end up homeless in Maine each year, said Cullen Ryan, executive director of Community Housing of Maine. The nonprofit has helped set up 33 apartment buildings for homeless veterans in Maine. Five years ago there were none, he said.

"Some of the people in these apartments were living outdoors, in shelters or in places unfit for human habitation for many years. Now they have a home and a wonderful group of neighbors who can add to the support they will receive from the (Veterans Administration)," Ryan said.

The average age of the homeless veterans who come to live in the housing is about 54, and many have been homeless for extended periods, he said. Most are men.

About 10 percent of all homeless people in Maine are veterans, said Nancy Fritz, Director of Homeless Initiatives, part of the Maine State Housing Authority. They often become homeless because of poverty, she said.

Funding for the housing comes from a combination of state, federal and private dollars, Ryan said.

When any real estate is sold in Maine, a portion of the tax goes to the Housing Opportunity for Maine Fund, to support projects for elderly, workforce, and now, homeless veterans.

The state program helped offset the $580,000 to acquire and renovate the apartment building in Oakland. In addition, federal dollars go toward rental subsidies, and residents contribute 30 percent of their income toward rent.

"This is an investment," Ryan said.

It costs less for a person to live in permanent supportive housing than to remain homeless, according to his organization, by decreasing expenses for mental health services, emergency room visits, ambulance transportation and incarceration, among other things.

Erin Rhoda -- 474-9534

erhoda@centralmaine.com