Paulina Mabiala, 32, in Front of the EXPO This Afternoon, is From Angola. There She Owned Her Own Bsiness, a Boutique.  She Was Directed to go to 39 Forest Avenue, to Register for Single Housing by Dow.

The Site of a Past Sturbridge Furniture Factory is Expected to House Immigrants this Summer, on Blueberry Road.

Some of the Families of Immigrants Arriving at the EXPO This Afternoon.

Immigrants Were Transported in Vans Like This one From the Chestnut Street Family Shelter to the EXPO Temporary Housing.

“I’ve been sleeping on the street for five days now,” said Paulina Mabiala, who has been in Portland for about a year.   She’s been living in a tent in a  tent village that has sprung up recently behind Trader Joe’s.  Every morning she folds up her tent and walks around Portland until she sets up her tent in the early evening behind Trader Joe’s.

She arrived at the EXPO hoping to get shelter there, but was turned away because she is single.  She arrived in the US by herself.  The EXPO is for families only.  She was directed to 39 Forest Avenue to complete forms to provide her the housing she needs.

Around 2:15 immigrants began trickling into the EXPO from the city’s family shelter on Chestunt Street, Portland.  Most of the 270 individuals moving into the temporary shelter are from Angola and DCR according to Kristen Dow, Director, of the city’s Health & Human Services office who was on site today..  The capacity for the shelter is 300 individuals and is expected to reach that level quickly.

Immigrants arrived in small city vans that hold about 15 or less – thus the relocation is expected to occupy most of today.  This facility is temporary Dow emphasized again today.

The EXPO shelter is expected to be replaced by other housing,  possibly at 90 Blueberry Road this summer.  The massive building at that rural location was formerly a furniture manufacturing site for Sturbridge Yankee Workshop,  According to neighbors, the plant shut down during the pandemic and has been for lease since that time.  Neighbors reported that they have seen no indications of rennovation work on the massive building to accomodate the asylum seekers now housed at the EXPO.

Meanwhile, the Oxford Street Shelter is now empty.  The building is empty and the lease with Port Property, who owns the building, expires at the end of this month according to Dow.

For more background information on the subject, please visit post herein dated April 7, 2023.