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Westbrook Adopts Emergency Plan for Tenants

As the state and region shift from addressing the COVID pandemic to addressing the aftermath of the pandemic, the Westbrook Board of Selectmen (BOS) has adopted a policy for relocating tenants who have been displaced in an emergency situation.

Social Services Coordinator Elizabeth Carpenter explained that each municipality in the state is required by the state to have a relocation plan in place to help citizens displaced by thing like health code or building violations that pose a threat to someone’s safety.

“Sometimes we need to move quickly and put them up in a hotel or a motel,” Carpenter explained.

To spell out the process in a “black and white” manner, the Social Services Department and town attorney drafted a policy that matches the state statute. At its July 13 meeting, the BOS unanimously adopted a relocation policy that had been presented by Carpenter. Carpenter said the policy “makes a lot of sense” and now that the BOS approved it states exactly what assistance the town will provide.

Under the plan, if a relevant agency inspects a person’s place of living and finds it “to constitute an immediate and serious threat to the health or safety of the occupant” the tenant may be eligible for the town to provide them with housing for a period of time, pending an approved relocation application.

Once an issue occurs the building will be inspected and a determination made that a building does not pose an imminent threat to safety, the owner will be notified and given a period of time to fix the problem. If the problem is not fixed by the deadline, the Social Services Department will contact the tenants and explain to them the relocation process and their rights.

“We five them information on how to find new housing as well,” Carpenter said.

Those are displaced must fill out an application and have it approved before the town provides aid.

Under the policy, there are different amounts of financial aid a displaced tenant is entitled to should their application be approved and temporary relocation be needed, but town assistance on rent is capped at a total of $4,000. Instead of an allotted time limit, the town will assist with monthly rent while a person is displaced until the total amount paid is $4,000. The town will also assist with the storage of a person’s possessions. Once the issue is fixed, the land lord or owner will pay for the moving costs for the tenant to move back.

Carpenter said that since Westbrook is a small town the situation where the town must assist with a tenant relocation only happens about once a year. While that particular situation may not come up very often, First Selectman Noel Bishop praised the work that the Social Services Department has been doing over the past 18 months, especially as needs have increased due to the financial strains exacerbated by the pandemic.

“During, before, and after COVID the number of ways the department has helped with people who need things like food is amazing. And it’s an increasing need,” Bishop said.

“As great as our towns are there’s a lot of social services directors who do a lot of great work,” Bishop said.