Latest news with #MaineHousing
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cutting federal heating assistance would hurt thousands of Mainers
Jun. 2—Despite summer's approach, many residents of Maine's northernmost county still have their heat on — those who can afford the energy, at least. "It was in the high 30s on June 1. So people are warming their homes now," said Jason Parent, executive director of the Aroostook County Action Program, which provides vulnerable people with utility bill credits and, rarely, direct checks, through the national Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. For decades, the program — also known as LIHEAP — has provided critical financial assistance for households struggling to afford heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer. About 45,000 households in Maine, including about 7,500 in Aroostook County, rely on LIHEAP to make it through the winter. But as Congress attempts to draft a fiscal year 2026 budget that aligns with President Donald Trump's agenda, the program's fate is uncertain. Trump has proposed wholly eliminating LIHEAP and a number of other support programs, weeks after his administration slashed federal staff responsible for administering the program. Last month, the House of Representatives passed its budget bill, which appears not to allocate funding for LIHEAP. The bill landed in the Senate this week. "The progression has clearly been in the direction of a seismic shift if not the elimination of the program altogether," Parent said in a phone interview Monday. "The thought of the program not existing at all, quite frankly, literally has me fearing that people will freeze to death in their homes." Dan Brennan, director of MaineHousing, said eliminating LIHEAP would be devastating to already vulnerable residents. The average income of a LIHEAP recipient is about $13,000 per year, he said. "We're talking people, households that make very little money to begin with and are having trouble making ends meet," Brennan said. MaineHousing administers the program within Maine. But Brennan was more optimistic about the program's fate at the federal level, noting its historic bipartisan backing and vocal support from the entire Maine delegation. He added that Trump unsuccessfully suggested eliminating LIHEAP in the 2018 and 2019 budget proposals during his first term. "I would be very surprised if both houses of congress decided not to fund this program. I just don't see that happening," he said. But "I'm anticipating they're not going to increase it very much, if at all." PREVIOUS FUNDING Maine has received about $41.6 million from the federal government for LIHEAP during the 2025 fiscal year — about 1% of the federal program's total cost — according to Sen. Susan Collins' office. About $26 million of that has been allocated for Maine households, more than $22 million of which had been distributed to residents as of Monday, according to data provided by MaineHousing. The latter figure includes about $2.6 million in Emergency Crisis Intervention Program payments, which are reserved for households facing heating emergencies and in need of immediate help. The majority of LIHEAP funds are distributed for use over the entire heating season. The rest of the LIHEAP funding goes to administrative costs and the four tribes that make up the Wabanaki Nations in Maine. Though the program touches all 16 counties, rural portions of northern Maine tend to receive more than their southern counterparts. Penobscot County residents have received just over $3.6 million this year, the most of any county, while those in Aroostook have seen more than $3.1 million, according to MaineHousing. Sagadahoc has so far received the least of any county, charting about $180,000 as of Tuesday. Cumberland and York have so far seen just under $1.4 million and nearly $1.8 million, respectively. Statewide, the average LIHEAP benefit was $509 in 2024, though that figure varies widely depending on income, home size and heating system, MaineHousing spokesperson Scott Thistle said. BUDGET HEADS TO SENATE Reps. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, and Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, voted against the budget bill last month, criticizing its impact on LIHEAP among other complaints. The bill passed the House by just one vote and was supported only by Republicans. It now heads to the Senate, where Republicans hold a razor-thin majority and tweaks are all but certain. Several Republicans have signaled that certain cuts, including to Medicaid and LIHEAP, go too far, or that the bill fails to bring down the national debt. Both of Maine's senators have spoken about the importance of preserving LIHEAP. In testimony before Congress last month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued that the Trump administration's overall energy policy would bring the cost of heating down enough to eliminate any need for assistance, rendering the program little more than "another subsidy of the fossil fuel industry," he said. But when pressed by Collins, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, Kennedy said he would commit to spending any LIHEAP funding appropriated by congress for fiscal year 2026. A spokesperson for Collins said that she will continue supporting LIHEAP and will "work to ensure that households in Maine and throughout the country can afford to heat their homes." A spokesperson for Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, referred questions about the program to an April letter King and Collins signed alongside nearly a dozen other senators, urging Kennedy to reverse the staff cuts. "It is an indispensable lifeline, helping to ensure that recipients do not have to choose between paying their energy bills and affording other necessities like food and medicine," the senators wrote. Gov. Janet Mills encouraged Congress to "protect and preserve" the program in a written statement Monday. Brennan, director of MaineHousing, said Collins' role on the Appropriations Committee was a particularly good sign for LIHEAP's fate. "It is just a matter now of watching the House and the Senate and what they decide to fund the program at," Brennan said. "In the meantime, we are moving ahead and preparing as if there will be a program." Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MaineHousing programs to add hundreds of homes, but the money is running out
May 15—Two Maine State Housing Authority programs are set to help add more than 300 units of affordable housing, including both single-family homes and apartments, to the state's housing stock. Maine State Housing Authority on Thursday announced $9.3 million for the construction of more than 160 affordable single-family homes and last month announced $23.5 million for 137 rental units in rural areas. It's the last available pot of money for both the Affordable Home Ownership Program and the Affordable Rural Rental Program, which together will have added 851 new units of housing, making a small but not insignificant dent in the state's lofty goal of adding 84,000 new homes between 2023 and 2030. The $9.3 million will help build 169 single-family homes across 11 developments stretching from Sanford to Bangor, including 26 homes in downtown Portland. Since its launch in 2023, the homeownership program has helped fund the construction of 325 homes. These homes will be affordable for households earning up to 120% of the area median income, which for a two-person household in the Portland metro area is $124,600. The median sale price for a single-family home in Maine reached just shy of $400,000 last year, a price that is unaffordable in all 16 counties compared to their median incomes. Just six years ago, the median home sale price was $200,000. "This program is putting affordable homeownership back in reach for hundreds of middle-income households and is allowing them the opportunity to claim their own piece of the American dream here in Maine," Dan Brennan, director of MaineHousing, said in a statement. As home sale prices have increased, so has the cost of construction. With the high price of land, labor and permitting costs, it no longer makes financial sense to build small houses. Builders have instead favored larger, more expensive projects. And since most affordable housing programs typically create rental housing, these market pressures contribute to an expanding affordability gap in the single-family market, according to MaineHousing. Greg Payne, the governor's senior housing adviser, said the additional units will add to Maine's housing supply while bolstering local economies. "This program has made homeownership possible for hundreds of Maine people, from families buying their first house to retirees looking to downsize while remaining in the communities they love," Payne said. Last month, a similar program geared toward adding more rental housing in rural areas released $23.5 million in funding to support 137 new rental units in nine communities. Like the homeownership program, the Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program has now run out of funding, though the Legislature is considering at least two bond proposals that would provide more money for affordable housing production. The rural rental program seeks to incentivize smaller developments between five and 18 units in parts of the state that might not otherwise have much affordable multi-family housing. Units are available to tenants earning up to 80% of the area median income. In Maine's most rural counties, 80% AMI is $47,600 for a single person. Since 2022, the program has helped create 229 units. "The program has not only helped add housing where it is needed most, it is adding development capacity for all of Maine," Brennan said. "This peripheral benefit cannot be understated as we move toward a future that will provide housing opportunities that allow more Mainers to live affordably in a community of their choice." Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maine lawmakers consider bill to stop mobile home park sales for three months
May 14—State lawmakers are considering a three-month moratorium on the sale of mobile home parks, a move that would disrupt at least two pending sales in Maine. Supporters say a pause on mobile home sales would allow lawmakers to evaluate a handful of mobile home-related bills, while also giving the residents of Friendly Village in Gorham a fair shot at purchasing their park. But opponents argue the stoppage would infringe on the rights of private property owners, and one would-be seller said it could sink a sale that is critical to both him and his tenants. Proposed by Sen. Chip Curry, D-Belfast, the bill would bar the sale of any mobile home park in Maine until Oct. 31. Because the bill is proposed as an emergency bill, it would go into effect immediately after passage, although it would require two-thirds majorities in both chambers. Some supporters suggested adding an exemption for residents trying to purchase their parks, as well as an extension of the moratorium through the end of the year. Curry told the Housing and Economic Development Committee that he updated the bill's language after hearing for months that the state is losing affordable housing to private equity investors looking to profit "and I would argue exploitatively" from low-income Mainers. Curry proposed the moratorium "to give us time to catch up on the regulatory environment so we can best protect our most vulnerable members of the community," he said. BILLS ON THE TABLE Mobile home parks in Maine and across the county are increasingly being purchased by out-of-state investors who then raise the monthly lot rents, in some cases by two or three times, according to national data. An estimated one-fifth of Maine's 468 licensed parks are now owned by out-of-state investors. Following passage of a 2023 "opportunity to purchase law," several communities, including those in Brunswick, Bangor and Monmouth, have formed cooperatives to purchase their parks. But more than twice as many have failed, even with offers just above those of the competition. Lawmakers are currently considering several bills to protect mobile homeowners, including one that would give residents the "right of first refusal" to purchase their park when it goes up for sale. Another would attach a hefty per-lot fee to the purchase of a community (on top of the purchase price) to be paid to MaineHousing to replenish a statewide program designed to help residents buy their parks. Resident-owned co-ops and affordable housing groups would be exempt from the fee. Another bill would eliminate the real estate transfer tax on sales of mobile home parks to resident buyers. The committee tabled two similar bills Tuesday that aim to prevent sudden and dramatic lot-rent increases. Rep. Cheryl Golek, D-Harpswell, who proposed one of the rent control bills, asked that committee members consider a freeze on mobile home rents if they decide to push her bill to next session. "These are people's lives that we're talking about," she said. "This is not a political, divided issue. We have hundreds and hundreds of people begging us ... to do something to protect them." A TALE OF TWO PARKS Dawn Beaulieu, a resident of Friendly Village for almost 30 years, said residents plan to submit an offer Monday — one that is higher than the $22 million offer from Crown Communities, the prospective buyer. But many sellers don't want to give up a sure sale in favor of an offer from residents who may struggle to pull the money together. "(The moratorium) would give us the amount of time we need to put a good faith motion forward with financing, to show them that they're still going to get what they're looking for," Beaulieu said. Nora Gosselin, director of resident acquisitions at the Cooperative Development Institute, said she's watched the Legislature this session approach the "complicated issue of mobile home park preservation with huge creativity and thoughtfulness." The institute assists residents who are trying to buy their parks. The bill, she said, would weave together the committee's work with Friendly Village's "Herculean" organizing efforts to buy the park. "A moratorium on large park transactions will allow the protections crafted by this committee ... to kick into effect in time to benefit the almost 300 households at Friendly Village," she said. But Michael Oneglia, the owner of two parks in Belfast, said the bill could kill a deal that he has spent tens of thousands of dollars and more than 10 months trying to close. Oneglia is under contract to sell Seacoast Village, a 22-lot park, and Hyland Estates, a 68-lot park, and is set to close in the coming weeks. Residents were not interested in purchasing the parks, he said, so he proceeded with a private sale. But if the moratorium goes into effect, "I will absolutely lose my buyer," he told the committee. "I have a personal situation where I need to sell and this will really screw things up for me and my tenants." If the deal falls through, Oneglia said, he would have to cut back the parks' services to just the essentials, dramatically lowering the standard of living for his tenants, who will pay the same amount of money while he recovers from the financial hit. "I just can't believe we're even at a point where we're talking about a moratorium of the sale of a private piece of property," he said. "It seems un-American and it's completely inappropriate." 'MORE HARM THAN GOOD' Others who opposed the moratorium bill, including many park owners like Oneglia, said a moratorium could devalue their properties and risks being an unconstitutional taking of property. Tina Marie Smith, vice president of State Manufactured Homes in Scarborough, said the bill was "created with unsubstantiated hysteria" and that it and the provisions being considered in the other bills threaten the future of their industry. She asked that legislators not paint all park owners with the same brush and consider families like hers who have owned the same park for generations. "You're systematically trying to remove what we all thought would be a generational legacy," she said. "I consider all of the legislation that has been unleashed upon us to be extremely one-sided." Sandra Hinkley, president of the Manufactured Housing Association of Maine and the owner of Maple Hill Estates, a 110-lot park in Mechanic Falls, said a moratorium would be "nothing short of imprisonment" for community owners in Maine. That bill, along with the other mobile home-related bills being considered, would punish people who have provided affordable housing in the state for decades, "threatening our property rights, devaluing our businesses and setting a precedent that the state can choose when and how we sell our businesses and to whom," she said. Hinkley suggested that if legislators are concerned about losing affordable housing, they work with MaineHousing to provide funding for park owners looking to expand. "(The moratorium) will do more harm than good and does not address the real objective, which is to create more housing," she said. Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
York County's only homeless shelter on brink of closure for lack of funds
May 2—The sole homeless shelter in York County is shutting down because it can no longer cover the cost of running its programs. York County Shelter Programs, a nonprofit in Alfred, laid off 20 of its 70 employees on Thursday and is working with other agencies to try to find new housing for the 65 people still staying at the shelter. The decision to suspend operations comes as shelter providers across the state push for additional state funding to cover the cost of operating homeless shelters. Kelli Deveaux, spokesperson for the agency's board of directors, said the decision to close is "gut-wrenching," especially as the need for shelter services grows. "Despite our collective efforts, and the gracious support of many donors, volunteers and partners in York County, the challenges faced by the organization have become insurmountable," she said. The news was devastating to residents staying in the shelter, who said they were notified Thursday and told they have to be out by noon on May 9. "I was just heartbroken. I was shocked because I didn't think a homeless shelter would close. I assumed I had a safe place to be," said Joanne Goodreau, 62, who has been staying at the shelter since she lost her housing in the Sanford area last November. The leaders of the program, along with directors of other shelters, have been trying to raise the alarm about the lack of funding for homeless shelters and other services. Emergency shelters in Maine receive $7 per night per bed in state funding, although a recent study by MaineHousing found the actual cost per bed is $102 per night. That widening gap must be covered by fundraising donations, an increasingly difficult task, Deveaux said. The York County shelter has an annual budget of $5 million. "We are in a financial situation in which it is impossible to cover even basic expenditures," Deveaux said. The board has not yet decided if the organization's food pantry will continue operating. The pantry feeds about 6,000 people each month and provides special food distributions for Thanksgiving and Christmas. FUNDING CHALLENGES The Maine Legislature is considering a bill that proposes a $5 million annual increase to the state's Emergency Shelter and Housing Assistance Program, used to help cover operating expenses and services at 40 emergency shelters around the state. The increase would bring state funding to $19 per bed per night. The program has been flat-funded in the state's general fund at $2.5 million since 2016. Shelter providers say the increase in funding is needed to sustain operations amid rising costs and the state's persistent housing crisis. Diane Small, executive director of the Sanford Housing Authority, testified in support of the bill, telling legislators that "a stable shelter network is essential for our work." "Without adequate emergency shelter options in York County, many individuals and families will have nowhere to go. This would lead to increased homelessness on our streets, greater strain on hospitals and first responders, and additional pressure on an already overburdened housing system," she said. "Our ability to help people transition into stable housing depends on having a functioning shelter system that ensures individuals are safe while we work to secure them permanent housing solutions." Deveaux said the board knows the closure will leave a gap in services in the county and hopes it can reopen at some point with additional funding and partnerships. "The primary concern for all involved was how do we best support our clients with what can be an incredibly difficult notification that can be absolutely anxiety causing, especially when they're already in very precarious circumstances and in need of our support," she said. There are currently 37 residents in the adult shelter, 16 in the family shelter and 12 at Layman Way, a recovery program run in partnership with the county. The shelter program is working with York County Community Action, Caring Unlimited, Sanford Housing Authority and United Way of Southern Maine to find alternative housing for residents. Deveaux was not able to say exactly when the programs will shut down because the board and staff are still working to determine next steps. York County Shelter Programs was established in 1980 and serves approximately 650 people facing homelessness each year. In addition to emergency shelter, the program combines support services for mental health, substance use treatment and employment training to help people move into affordable housing in the community. Biddeford Mayor Martin Grohman said losing the shelter is "a huge blow" that will impact communities across the county. Since Biddeford closed a major encampment last summer, the city has been working to address homelessness by bringing together outreach workers and service providers to assist people in need. It also partnered with Seeds of Hope to open an overnight warming shelter, but it does not offer beds for people to sleep in. At least three Biddeford residents are currently staying at the Alfred shelter, Grohman said. Grohman said the York County shelter has done a nice job of providing case management and support to residents to help them find stability and permanent housing. "Many people stay there 12 to 18 months, get really recalibrated and have a chance to bounce back," he said. "That's a key part of the ecosystem that we'll be missing. There's nobody else that does that." 'WHAT DO WE DO?' Goodreau, who arrived at the shelter last year, said this is the second time she has stayed at the Alfred shelter. Unlike some others who are staying there, she said she is lucky to have a car she can sleep in if she can't find somewhere else to stay. She has been working with a housing navigator, but has not been able to find an apartment she can afford and there are no housing vouchers available. "It's scary. I'm afraid for myself, but more so for the sick and the elderly who are here," she said. "They can't tent it. I don't want to go to an encampment and tent it." Goodreau said everyone at the shelter "is in chaos." They've been calling campgrounds and other shelters, but most are hesitant to go to the shelter in Portland, she said. "What do we do next Friday when they lock the doors and we have to get out?" she said. Lacey Merrifield and her husband, Chris Libby, see leaving the shelter next week as a devastating step back on their journey to overcome substance use issues, find good jobs and regain custody of their 5-year-old daughter. Before connecting with an outreach worker and moving into the shelter in February, they had been living in a tent in Sanford for eight months. They recently started working for the shelter as part of a program that trains people to work in kitchens. They were told Thursday that those jobs have ended. Libby, 46, said everyone at the shelter has become like family. He doesn't know what they'll do next Friday when they have to leave, but will figure it out. "This was really the light at the tend of the tunnel for us," Merrifield, 41, said. "We were so hopeless when we were homeless. Now we're starting again from scratch." Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
York County's only homeless shelter on brink of closure for lack of funds
May 2—The sole homeless shelter in York County is shutting down because it can no longer cover the cost of running its programs. York County Shelter Programs, a nonprofit in Alfred, laid off 20 of its 70 employees on Thursday and is working with other agencies to try to find new housing for the 65 people still staying at the shelter. The decision to suspend operations comes as shelter providers across the state push for additional state funding to cover the cost of operating homeless shelters. Kelli Deveaux, spokesperson for the agency's board of directors, said the decision to close is "gut-wrenching," especially as the need for shelter services grows. "Despite our collective efforts, and the gracious support of many donors, volunteers and partners in York County, the challenges faced by the organization have become insurmountable," she said. The news was devastating to residents staying in the shelter, who said they were notified Thursday and told they have to be out by noon on May 9. "I was just heartbroken. I was shocked because I didn't think a homeless shelter would close. I assumed I had a safe place to be," said Joanne Goodreau, 62, who has been staying at the shelter since she lost her housing in the Sanford area last November. The leaders of the program, along with directors of other shelters, have been trying to raise the alarm about the lack of funding for homeless shelters and other services. Emergency shelters in Maine receive $7 per night per bed in state funding, although a recent study by MaineHousing found the actual cost per bed is $102 per night. That widening gap must be covered by fundraising donations, an increasingly difficult task, Deveaux said. The York County shelter has an annual budget of $5 million. "We are in a financial situation in which it is impossible to cover even basic expenditures," Deveaux said. The board has not yet decided if the organization's food pantry will continue operating. The pantry feeds about 6,000 people each month and provides special food distributions for Thanksgiving and Christmas. FUNDING CHALLENGES The Maine Legislature is considering a bill that proposes a $5 million annual increase to the state's Emergency Shelter and Housing Assistance Program, used to help cover operating expenses and services at 40 emergency shelters around the state. The increase would bring state funding to $19 per bed per night. The program has been flat-funded in the state's general fund at $2.5 million since 2016. Shelter providers say the increase in funding is needed to sustain operations amid rising costs and the state's persistent housing crisis. Diane Small, executive director of the Sanford Housing Authority, testified in support of the bill, telling legislators that "a stable shelter network is essential for our work." "Without adequate emergency shelter options in York County, many individuals and families will have nowhere to go. This would lead to increased homelessness on our streets, greater strain on hospitals and first responders, and additional pressure on an already overburdened housing system," she said. "Our ability to help people transition into stable housing depends on having a functioning shelter system that ensures individuals are safe while we work to secure them permanent housing solutions." Deveaux said the board knows the closure will leave a gap in services in the county and hopes it can reopen at some point with additional funding and partnerships. "The primary concern for all involved was how do we best support our clients with what can be an incredibly difficult notification that can be absolutely anxiety causing, especially when they're already in very precarious circumstances and in need of our support," she said. There are currently 37 residents in the adult shelter, 16 in the family shelter and 12 at Layman Way, a recovery program run in partnership with the county. The shelter program is working with York County Community Action, Caring Unlimited, Sanford Housing Authority and United Way of Southern Maine to find alternative housing for residents. Deveaux was not able to say exactly when the programs will shut down because the board and staff are still working to determine next steps. York County Shelter Programs was established in 1980 and serves approximately 650 people facing homelessness each year. In addition to emergency shelter, the program combines support services for mental health, substance use treatment and employment training to help people move into affordable housing in the community. Biddeford Mayor Martin Grohman said losing the shelter is "a huge blow" that will impact communities across the county. Since Biddeford closed a major encampment last summer, the city has been working to address homelessness by bringing together outreach workers and service providers to assist people in need. It also partnered with Seeds of Hope to open an overnight warming shelter, but it does not offer beds for people to sleep in. At least three Biddeford residents are currently staying at the Alfred shelter, Grohman said. Grohman said the York County shelter has done a nice job of providing case management and support to residents to help them find stability and permanent housing. "Many people stay there 12 to 18 months, get really recalibrated and have a chance to bounce back," he said. "That's a key part of the ecosystem that we'll be missing. There's nobody else that does that." 'WHAT DO WE DO?' Goodreau, who arrived at the shelter last year, said this is the second time she has stayed at the Alfred shelter. Unlike some others who are staying there, she said she is lucky to have a car she can sleep in if she can't find somewhere else to stay. She has been working with a housing navigator, but has not been able to find an apartment she can afford and there are no housing vouchers available. "It's scary. I'm afraid for myself, but more so for the sick and the elderly who are here," she said. "They can't tent it. I don't want to go to an encampment and tent it." Goodreau said everyone at the shelter "is in chaos." They've been calling campgrounds and other shelters, but most are hesitant to go to the shelter in Portland, she said. "What do we do next Friday when they lock the doors and we have to get out?" she said. Lacey Merrifield and her husband, Chris Libby, see leaving the shelter next week as a devastating step back on their journey to overcome substance use issues, find good jobs and regain custody of their 5-year-old daughter. Before connecting with an outreach worker and moving into the shelter in February, they had been living in a tent in Sanford for eight months. They recently started working for the shelter as part of a program that trains people to work in kitchens. They were told Thursday that those jobs have ended. Libby, 46, said everyone at the shelter has become like family. He doesn't know what they'll do next Friday when they have to leave, but will figure it out. "This was really the light at the tend of the tunnel for us," Merrifield, 41, said. "We were so hopeless when we were homeless. Now we're starting again from scratch." Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others. We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion. You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs. Show less
