Mayors in Dover, Somersworth among 8 asking Gov. Sununu for funds to help homeless

DOVER — Two of the tri-city mayors joined six mayors across New Hampshire in sending a letter to Gov. Chris Sununu, asking the state to step up and provide aid to help cities and towns address the homeless population.

Dover Mayor Bob Carrier and Somersworth Mayor Dana Hilliard signed the letter, along with mayors from Manchester, Berlin, Franklin, Nashua, Claremont and Laconia. It was sent to Sununu, along with Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Weaver and Associate Commissioner Christine Santaniello. The letter came two years after 13 state mayors, including the then-mayors of Rochester and Portsmouth, sent a letter to Sununu asking for help to assist with the homeless.

The eight mayors sending the new letter asked for federal funds to be allocated for more shelter beds and resources, with an emphasis on women and youth.

While the Willand Warming Center opened last year as a full-time shelter for the winter, city councils in Dover, Somersworth and Rochester each voted this season to open the center, located in Somersworth, as strictly a warming center for the 2022-23 winter season. It operates on an emergency basis, from Nov. 25 through March 31. It is being managed by SOS Recovery Community Organization, which was the only group to respond to a request for proposals from the cities to lead the shelter.

Hilliard said he would like to see funding sources made available to aid the Tri- City area so they can continue to make efforts a master plan.

"I would also hope for federal funding that would help the 'three legged stool' approach that we have partnered with the county on, a plan that would ensure long-term solutions will be successful not only throughout the Tri-City area but all of Strafford County."

The plan Hilliard referenced is a proposal by Strafford County commissioners to build a new county nursing home on County Farm Road in Dover and convert the exisiting Riverside Rest Home on the same road into a transitional shelter for people who are unhoused, similar to the Cross Roads House in Portsmouth. Funding has not been approved for that project.

Carrier said he and city officials said they hope the letter serves to raise a red flag at the state level.

"We hope to get the governor involved in the conversation," Carrier said. "We have requested similar responses from the governor in the past few years and have not gotten a significant response. We have not had much success."

Carrier said as of yet, there hasn't been a response from the governor to Dover.

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"We, in the Tri-City area are trying to do the best we can," he said. "We hope to see money, a plan. I hope to see more consistency in the state approach to the homeless."

Hilliard said homelessness is not a Tri-City issue but a New Hampshire need for help from the state.

"From Somersworth, to Manchester, to Berlin, New Hampshire cities throughout our state continue to navigate the statewide problem of homelessness," said Hilliard. "With limited resources our cities have built joint partnerships, developed master plans and have relied heavily upon nonprofits and the faith-based communities to help us expand our resources at helping the most vulnerable members of our society."

Hilliard said past local efforts have shown an overwhelming need for the state to take more of a leadership role in developing and funding long-term, sustainable solutions to help move forward on this issue.

"While government cannot solve this problem on its own, it can lead at building the partnership that will help all communities throughout the state moving in the same forward direction to help those citizens who are most in need of our help, guidance and empathy," said Hilliard.

Rochester mayor didn't sign the letter to Sununu

Of the Tri-City mayors, only Paul Callaghan of Rochester did not sign the letter.

"I didn't sign the letter because I thought it was the wrong approach," said Callaghan. "I'd rather sit down and have a conversation and exchange ideas on how to solve the homeless issue. The letter did not accomplish that."

He said he disagrees with the contention the governor has not done much to help solve the homeless issue.

"He developed a  homeless stability coalition," he said. "He came up with $100 million in federal funds to address affordable  housing (Invest NH). He just recently released $20 million to help keep families in their apartments, and he appropriated $4 million for medical care for the homeless."

Callaghan is a Republican who was endorsed by Sununu in 2021, when he was elected mayor.

"Rochester has a great relationship with organizations that are involved with the homeless such as Waypoint, SOS -which runs our warming shelter, and the Share Fund," Callaghan added. "I've found the governor and his team responsive when we've reached out for assistance."

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Sununu's office responded, stating New Hampshire has three programs under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development coordinating needs in Manchester, Nashua, and other cities and towns. Each program has to provide its own services and resources as outlined in their plan to HUD.

Sununu's office said in 2022, the state made several "unprecedented" investments in affordable and emergency housing, and shelters, including an additional $4 million and $1 million to the Department of Health and Human Services, saying it has provided nearly 350 additional shelter beds statewide.

A council created in 2020 and tasked with addressing broad issues around housing affordability and stability in New Hampshire seeks to increase housing availability by 13,500 units by 2024.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover, Somerworth mayors ask Gov. Sununu for funds to help homeless