Portland helping more than 200 asylum seekers find homes

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Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Officials in Maine’s largest city say they’re working on finding temporary and long-term housing for dozens of asylum-seeking families currently taking shelter at the Portland Expo.

Portland is housing 200 to 250 asylum seekers at the basketball arena. Officials say they’re working against an Aug. 15 deadline because the Expo needs to return to its typical operations.

City Manager Jon Jennings and city staff members held a meeting on Wednesday with leaders in the immigrant community to discuss new housing possibilities for the asylum seekers. Portland officials also plan to run a cultural orientation program at the Expo to help the asylum seekers understand their housing options.

The city says it has raised about $815,000 in donations to help assist the asylum seekers.

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