City Council OKs $300G in ARPA funds to help out Home for Now homeless shelter

Home for Now Shelter at 202 Washington St., Rochester (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - The City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve
a little over 300,000 in ARPA funds to Community Action Partners to help cover the cost of operating the Home for Now Shelter, which was formerly known as the Homeless Center for Strafford County.
The Community Action Partners of Strafford County took over the shelter on May 1, but soon found out they weren't immediately available for many of the homeless grants, saddling them with a budget shortfall.
"They (CAP) took over on May 1 and found out they weren't available for any of the grants for homeless shelters," Rochester Mayor Paul Callaghan said prior to the vote. "They need about 600,000 to $800,000 to get the program up and running."
Callaghan stressed that "this is a sustainable program, this (funding) is just temporary to get them through this year."
According to figures submitted to the city by CAP, the shelter's total annual budget for this year is $882,000.
In other business, the council voted unanimously to put a 30 mph speed limit sign on the way into Norway Plains Road from Milton Road.