Manchester police respond to fatal overdose at FIT shelter
Jan. 15—Manchester police responded to reports of a fatal overdose at the Families in Transition (FIT) shelter Saturday on Manchester Street, as city officials await a judge's ruling on plans to evict occupants of a nearby homeless encampment.
Manchester police Lt. Matthew Barter confirmed officers responded to the FIT shelter at 199 Manchester St. around 9 p.m. Saturday for a report of an overdose inside the building.
"The individual was found to be deceased," Barter said in an email Sunday.
Barter said the cause of death is unknown at this time, but the death does not appear suspicious or criminal.
"We are awaiting toxicology and autopsy — we cannot say for certain that this was a fatal overdose," Barter said in an email.
The victim was a 30-year-old man.
City officials have promised to delay evicting occupants of the encampment at the corner of Manchester and Pine streets until the end of the day on Tuesday following a hearing after the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire filed a lawsuit seeking a court ruling to prevent the city from carrying out the evictions.
Judge John Kissinger postponed issuing any order until Tuesday. ACLU-NH is requesting a stay until shelter that meets the city's legal definition can be found.
ACLU-NH argues the Cashin Senior Center doesn't meet the definition of a shelter in the city's ordinances and is a violation of the Constitutional rights in the Eighth Amendment.
On Friday, officials announced the launch of the Manchester Winter Relief Fund, designed to "ensure services and shelter to unhoused individuals" in the Queen City, according to a news release.
"Given that shelter beds across the state are near or at capacity, we are tremendously grateful the collaboration between the City, our non-profit and faith-based partners, as well as the community, to implement additional emergency shelters in Manchester this winter," said Mayor Joyce Craig in a statement. "This fund will directly support ongoing short and long-term efforts to meet critical needs in our community."
The fund will be administered by Granite United Way, with 100% of the proceeds going to programs and services supporting this effort, organizers said in a news release.
"Helping individuals in our community is core to our mission, and we are proud to be among the partners stepping up to address this need," said Patrick Tufts, president and CEO of Granite Manchester.
Officials said last week the state has agreed to let the city use the vacant Tirrell House on Brook Street as a women's homeless shelter. The city will partner with YWCA New Hampshire to provide staffing and wraparound services at 15 Brook St.
City officials are considering leasing a building on Canal Street, the former city bus station, as a temporary shelter with 40 beds, and hope to have more information by Tuesday.
Three or four locations in Manchester are under consideration for a permanent shelter.
"The departments have been working diligently on this for over eight days," Manchester Fire Chief Ryan Cashin told aldermen on Friday. "Moving forward we're hoping to have some more options. The Cashin Center has been a success, it has really helped. It has made a difference in people's lives."
According to Cashin, in the first eight days the center saw 61 total check-ins.
Aldermen have pledged $871,991 to address homelessness, using a combination of community development, COVID relief and affordable housing funds.
The primary use of the funds will be shelter services, according to a statement from the city. The resolutions will transfer $173,991 of CDBG-CV funds, $398,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and $300,000 from the city's Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
For additional information on the Manchester Winter Relief Fund, contact Granite United Way at info@graniteuw.org.
