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Death of homeless Midcoast man shines light on Maine's housing crisis


The death of a homeless man on the Midcoast is shining a light on the state's housing crisis. (WGME)
The death of a homeless man on the Midcoast is shining a light on the state's housing crisis. (WGME)
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BRUNSWICK (WGME) – The death of a homeless man on the Midcoast is shining a light on the state's housing crisis.

While the man had a voucher to find an apartment, he died on the streets before he was able to find out

Throughout the Brunswick community, there is a sense of shock, after his death.

"I'm just heartbroken that the system failed him, it shouldn't be so hard for people to get help when they need it," Mary Connelly of The Gathering Place said.

Russell Williams, Navy veteran, was chronically homeless, choosing to live on the street, spending his days at “The Gathering Place.”

"He was loud and always stood out, but he was kind and gentle," friend Thresa Rubenstein said.

His friends say he wanted to find his own place and not rely on a shelter, recently getting called off a long wait list for a housing voucher.

"He was excited, and he was committed, he was like, 'I got my voucher I'm going to get housing,’” Connelly said.

But with few apartment for rent, a criminal history and only 60 days to use the voucher, his time ran out.

Williams was found dead in his sleeping bag along the railroad tracks after an extremely cold November night.

"It's just heartbreaking, and preventable is the key," Connelly said.

Thousands of Mainers are in the same position.

"We're well aware of the need, there are more than 19,000 people on the voucher wait list right now, and so the need is great,” Daniel Brennan of The Maine State Housing Authority said.

The Maine State Housing Authority says outreach and local partnerships help to make people better aware of options, but the solution will take much more.

"In some places we do give extensions, and where we can we do, we realize that in some places it's really difficult to find a suitable apartment," Brennan said.

While the wait list grows, Williams’ friends hope no one else ends up in the same position.

"Someone needs to take account, there needs to be stories about him, that his life was worth something and it was worth something to those of us here at The Gathering Place," Connelly said.

A celebration of life will be held for Russell Williams this Thursday at The Gathering Place. The organization hopes his story will put a new focus on Maine’s housing crisis.

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