City Hall·Bangor City Council Workshop
Bangor council weighs railroad encampment deadline and housing update
Bangor city councilors heard an update from Bangor Housing on its projects and voucher programs, then discussed the railroad encampment as a December 19 relocation date approaches. Officials said the railroad is expected to formally ask campers to leave, and councilors pushed for more time, more resources, and a possible sanctioned site or day space.
Key points
- Bangor Housing's Mike Myatt briefed the council on roughly 1,000 units across nine projects, about 400 Housing Choice Vouchers, and a 30-unit Home for Good project planned at 55 Cleveland with 24/7 services through Preble Street.
- Myatt said construction on the Home for Good project is expected to start in mid-2026 and finish in mid-2027, with a possible second phase of 30 more units.
- City Manager Carolyn Fish said the railroad is expected to formally request that people relocate from the encampment, and the city is asking to hold to the December 19 date rather than move faster.
- Fish said a Maine Department of Environmental Protection inspection tied to concerns about trash and human waste near the river did not happen because the department could not coordinate with the railroad.
- Councilor Michael Beck and Councilor Daniel Carson said the railroad, as the landowner, should bear cleanup costs rather than the city.
- Councilor Angela Walker and Beck said 11 days is not enough time and urged working toward a goal rather than a hard date; Fish listed possible sanctioned site options including the bird sanctuary, Coe Park, Camp Hope, and Bass Park, and noted Camp Hope concerns from residents.
Next steps
- City staff will set up storage for campers' belongings, continue offering transportation to warming centers, and keep coordinating with service providers and the HUB 7 coordinator.
- Councilors discussed continuing meetings with encampment residents and having city staff join; Fish sought council input on that arrangement.
- Officials said they need to hear the railroad's position before making further decisions on the encampment site.
Where this came from
City of Bangor YouTube
The summary and transcript were made by software from the public meeting video, with names checked against the official roster, then reviewed before publishing.
Watch the meeting ↗The summary and transcript were made by software from the public meeting video, with names checked against the official roster, then reviewed before publishing.