HHS and Public Safety Committee

Remote HHS and Public Safety MEMBERS Meeting Agenda Councilor Anna Bullett, District 4, Chair Councilor April Fournier, At-Large February 10, 2026 at 5:30 PM Councilor Sarah Michniewicz, District 1 Remote Meeting Councilor Wesley Pelletier, District 2 There will be opportunity for Public Comment on Agenda Item #5 2026 Committee Workplan Development. To submit written public comment on an agenda item, email HHSPS@portlandmaine.gov. Submissions must be received by 12:00 pm the day before the Health & Human Services and Public Safety meeting to guarantee their inclusion in the agenda packet. All submissions must include the commenter's name and legal address. To help ensure your comment is submitted for the correct item, please include the name of the agenda item (see below). The Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee will conduct this meeting remotely via Zoom pursuant to the Remote Meeting Policy adopted by the Portland City Council. Allow your computer to install the free Zoom app to get the best meeting experience. If you are not able to attend live either in person or via Zoom, a recording will be available in the Agenda Center following the meeting. You are invited to a Zoom webinar! When: Feb 10, 2026 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: Remote HHS and Public Safety Meeting Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/j/81200951966?pwd=Gmq6OeWrWocDlmG8MNcG38dHPh4IOy.1 Passcode:960491 Phone one-tap: +16469313860,,81200951966#,,,,*960491# US +19292056099,,81200951966#,,,,*960491# US (New York) Join via audio: +1 646 931 3860 US +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 305 224 1968 US +1 309 205 3325 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 689 278 1000 US +1 719 359 4580 US +1 253 205 0468 US +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 360 209 5623 US +1 386 347 5053 US +1 507 473 4847 US +1 564 217 2000 US +1 669 444 9171 US +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Page 1 Webinar ID: 812 0095 1966 Passcode: 960491 International numbers available:https://portlandmaine-gov.zoom.us/u/kb3mdYLUb3 1. Announcements 2. Review and Approval of Minutes from January 13, 2026 a. Draft meeting minutes 3. Winter Warming Shelter Update (Maggie McLoughlin, HHS Director) This update is a standing agenda item through the end of winter warming shelter operations in April. 4. Public Saftey Update (Mark Dubois, Chief of Police) A standing public safety update that alternates each month between the Police and Fire departments. a. Staff Update 5. 2026 Committee Work Plan Development (Councilor Anna Bullett, Chair) The committee will discuss its 2026 Committee Work Plan informed by the finalized 2026 Common Council Goals . a. The 2026 Common Council Goals & Draft 2026 Work Plan 6. Next Meeting: March 10, 2026 Page 2  Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee January 13, 2026, 5:30 PM Remote Meeting Committee Attendance: Anna Bullett, Chair (District 4), Sarah Michniewicz (District 1), (Wesley Pelletier (District 2). Councilor Attendance: City Staff: Adam Harr, Executive Assistant; Greg Jordan, Assistant City Manager; Chad Johnston, Fire Chief; Caity Hager, Emergency Management Coordinator; Maggie McLoughlin, Director or HHS; Dena Libner, Assistant City Manager. 1. Announcements • Councilor Fournier unable to attend due to employment responsibilities. 2. Review and Approval of Minutes from November 13, 2025 • Councilor Pelletier Moved to approve the minutes and seconded by Councilor Michniewicz. The minutes were approved unanimously 3-0 with Councilor Fournier absent at the time of approval. 3. Discussion: Winter Warming Shelter Activation Threshold (Councilor Anna Bullett, Chair) • Emergency Management Coordinator Hager explained the thresholds for activation were retained from last year. o Threshold o Analyze historical data and forecasts for the season and meet with the shelter directors to determine how many days the shelter would likely be activated and determine how many activations funding would allow. • Director McLoughlin explained that hypothermia sets in at 45 degrees which informs the threshold. o It costs approximately $7,000 per activation; funding allows for 50 activations. o The Warming Shelter • Are there data on exposure deaths on nights the shelter was not activated? o Have not been able to identify a data source for tracking at the state level; housing status is not captured by vital statistics by the state. • Councilor Michniewicz noted that that the shelter did not open two nights that thresholds would have called for which occurred multiple times in the previous iteration when the shelter was run by community partners. • We have activated 12 nights o Half of the individual served have not stayed at the HSC, either at alll or in the past 6 months. o 35% have been at the HSC in the last 6 months. o 15% have been at the HSC in the last 6 to 12 months range. • Chair Bullett requested that this remains a standing update through the end of Winter. Page 3 4. Committee 2026 Workplan • Goal is to determine top level priorities. o Council Pelletier requested:  a protocol for alerts of cruise ships disembarking with norovirus to communicate to the public and for staff  An on-peninsula day space  Overdose prevention centers.  Immigration policies and clarifying gray zones. • May be able to get an update from the District Attorney. • How do our officers and citizens interact with agents of unknown affiliation? (uniform requirements) o Council Michniewicz  Seconded day space  Community policing stations are physically limited leaving some neighborhoods to go without. • Greater distribution for the public to have access and for officers to be dedicated to those areas. • The civilian coordinators interface with the community and as a result of these limitations, some areas are underserved. • Overview of where they could potentially be sited.  Framework for how we approach social services in Portland.  Update on food service delivery. • Will potentially dovetail with day space.  Urban rangers update. • Will be included in the PD update every other month with Fire and additional HHS division updates. o Chair Bullett  Reminded that the first held session of Council goal setting occurred last night and this work plan won’t be finalized until the Council goal settings are finalized.  Regional coordination on homeless services. • Every other month reports. • Needle waste impact o Root cause solutions.  Housing Stability • Housing support funding; will follow HCDC work plan.  Senior center. • Policy? • Feasibility Study? • Will prioritize seasonally impacted goals. • City Manager Jordan o S&T is handling most of Vision Zero, but a possible law enforcement element that would be included are red light cameras that could be relevant to this committee.  Explore what can and cannot be done and what we would want or not want to do within those confines.  Data security and privacy Page 4   Evidence based analysis of does it save lives and its efficacy. o Current location of the police station and will update the committee. Next meeting is February 10, 2026. Councilor Pelletier oved to adjourn, and was seconded by Councilor Michniewicz. The motion passed unanimously 3-0 (Councilor Fournier absent) and the meeting adjourned at 6:11 PM. Page 5 Health and Human Service / Public Safety Committee Public Safety Update Portland Police Department February 10, 2026 Page 6 Crime Trends and Analysis Violent Crime by Year ● 8.6% decrease in violent crime from 2024 to 2025. ● The decline is largely due to an 18.5% drop in aggravated assaults. ● Sexual assaults increased by approximately 35%, while robberies remained consistent with the city's ten-year averages. ● No homicides were reported in 2025; 12 have occurred since 2020. Page 7 Crime Trends and Analysis Property Crime by Year ● There was a 21% decrease in property crime from 2024 to 2025. ● Declines were observed across all property crime categories in 2025, including motor vehicle theft, arson, larceny, and burglary. ● Motor vehicle thefts declined from 125 to 111; however, the three-year trend remains higher than the ten-year average. Page 8 Crime Trends and Analysis - Calls for Service Calls for Service by Year ● Calls for Service remained stable in 2025, increasing by 1% compared to 2024. ● The lowest call volumes occurred in 2020–2021, amid pandemic- related changes in activity. ● Calls for Service saw a noticeable uptick from 2023 to 2024 as activity levels continued to normalize. Page 9 Crime Trends and Analysis - Calls for Service ● Beat 4 continues to generate the highest number of calls for service, accounting for approximately 18% of the city’s total. ● Beats 3 (Old Port), 4 (Bayside), and 5 (West End) are consistently the busiest, as they encompass the peninsula and the majority of the downtown area. ● Beat 8 has experienced slight increases over the past two years, likely driven by calls for service at the Homeless Services Center. Page 10 Crime Trends and Analysis - Calls for Service Calls for Service (CFS) are broken down into Proactive and Reactive. ● Reactive - initiated by member of public usually via 911 or non- emergency line. Reactive calls have generally remained consistent, with recent increases reflecting a broader return to pre-COVID activity levels. ● Proactive: Proactive calls declined from 2020–2023, stabilized in 2024, and rose in 2025, following adjustments to staff schedules to improve efficiency—up roughly 20% from 2024 and 37% from 2023. Page 11 Crime Trends and Analysis - Arrests ● Overall arrest totals, counting both physical arrests and summons, showed no significant change from 2024. ● Beat 4(Bayside) had the highest number of arrests, followed by Beat 5(West End) and Beat 3(Old Port). ● In 2025, the most frequent charges were: violating conditions of release, warrants, unlawful possession of drugs, assault, and criminal trespass. Page 12 Crime Trends and Analysis - Overdoses ● While total overdoses remain high, fatalities have declined to their lowest level in the past ten years. ● Beat 4 recorded the most overdoses (213), followed by Beat 8 (117), together accounting for approximately 62% of total overdoses. ● Among 535 overdose cases, 293 individuals refused transport, 224 were transported, and 18 were fatal. ● Officers administered Narcan 43 times. Page 13 Crime Trends and Analysis - Traffic ● Dedicated traffic enforcement led to higher traffic stops and citations in 2025, with citations more than doubling compared to 2024. ● The most common violations ticketed were Red Light Violations (243), No Insurance (230), Speeding (152), Expired Registration (126), and Failing to Stop at a Stop Sign (100). Page 14 Crime Trends and Analysis - Traffic ● Overall crashes declined 7%, with decreases in every month except February, which saw a 58% increase. February accidents were all weather related. ● Notably, hit-and-run crashes increased by over 80% compared with the previous three years, with 885 incidents reported citywide in 2025. ● Injury-related crashes accounted for 14% of all incidents, with 23 involving bicycles and 32 involving pedestrians. ● In 2025, there were five fatalities, including four pedestrians and one driver. Page 15 Health and Human Service / Public Safety Committee Public Safety Update Portland Police Department February 10, 2026 Page 16 City of Portland | Executive Department Danielle West, City Manager Portland Common Council Goals 2026 to Committee Workplans Through the 2026 goal-setting process, the Portland City Council has identified six Common Council Goals that will guide the Council’s collective work this year. These goals represent areas where councilors expressed shared commitment to advancing meaningful change. During the goal-setting workshops, councilors also identified concrete actions the Council could consider to translate these high-level goals into tangible policy work. The attached chart demonstrates how these priority themes, specific goals, and proposed actions connect to create an integrated approach to Portland's most pressing challenges. As committees develop their detailed 2026 workplans, this framework provides a roadmap for ensuring individual committee work contributes to Council-wide progress. The specific actions identified by councilors serve as starting points for committee deliberations, with the understanding that committees may refine, prioritize, or sequence these actions based on capacity, timing, and emerging opportunities. The 2026 Common Council Goals represent an ambitious agenda that seeks to make progress on Portland's most critical needs while building toward long-term community resilience. The connection between these goals and proposed committee actions provides a clear pathway from aspiration to implementation, ensuring that the Council's collective vision translates into meaningful policy change for Portland residents 389 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04101 | 207-874-8300 | info@portlandmaine.gov Page 17  2026 Common Council Goals Mapped to Council Committees with Potential Actions for Consideration in Committee Workplans Theme Description Committee Potential Action Consider adjustments to inclusionary zoning ordinance to promote housing production. Address Portland’s housing challenges by Consider policy amendments to streamline building permit application review and approval. Accelerate Housing Housing & encouraging the development of more Production and Economic Review Social Housing Task Force recommendations and consider council action on next steps. homes and protecting affordability, so Strengthen Affordability Development current and future residents can live and Consider amendment to Duson Trust Fund ordinance to support housing assistance for residents Protections Committee thrive in our community. (e.g., eviction prevention, security deposit assistance). Consider amendment to the rent control ordinance to strengthen enforcement. Consider council action to support reduction in chronic homelessness by 50% (currently 120 Decrease the number of people Health & people experiencing chronic homelessness) by end of 2026 (e.g., consideration on day shelter, experiencing chronic homelessness by Human adjustments to charitable food distribution license, regional and state partnerships). Reduce Chronic advancing policy to enhance support Services & Homelessness systems and address the underlying causes Review missions of city shelter facilities (i.e., Family Shelter, Warming Center). Public Safety that lead to housing instability in our Committee Consider amending the rate of exchange for the needle exchange program with a public health community. perspective. Support Vision Zero plan roll-out with council leadership. Create safer streets for all users by Express public support for Franklin Street Arterial plan and implementation. Sustainability & Reduce Pedestrian and advancing policy to prevent traffic deaths Transportation Consider development of Vision Zero ordinance, focused on complete streets, pedestrian safety, Bicyclist Fatalities and injuries while improving accessibility for walkability, and community engagement. Committee pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. Develop legislative proposal for intersection camera pilot to improve safety to be introduced in the 2027 State Legislature session. Support Affordability for Ease the tax burden for Portland residents Consider a policy amendment to expand tax affordability programs such as Portland Senior Tax All Residents Through by finding new ways to fund city services Finance Equity Program (P-STEP). New Revenue Policies and providing direct tax relief to households Committee Consider a policy amendment to diversify city revenue streams to offset taxpayer burden (e.g, and Targeted Tax Relief who need it most. fiscal impact of cruise ships, Payment in Lieu of Taxes). Address climate change by cutting carbon emissions, expanding clean energy and Sustainability & Advance the Goals of Consider policy to further advance One Climate Future goals are met (e.g., environmental impacts energy-efficient buildings, supporting Transportation One Climate Future of cruise ships, viability of solar on municipal buildings). sustainable transportation, and preparing Committee Portland for a resilient, low-carbon future. Foster a thriving local economy by Housing & Explore ordinance regulating parking lot advertising and pricing disclosure requirements. Strengthen Economic increasing support for businesses and Economic Vitality and Support Local Close out council action on Live Nation venue proposal. strengthening conditions that help Portland's Development Businesses business community grow. Committee Consider policy to enhance public support for the arts. Page 18 Common Council Goals 2026 Page 19 As the elected voice of Portland’s residents and businesses, the City Council sets the City’s policy direction. The Council’s Common Goals define the policy priorities and provide a clear focus for the Council's work in the year ahead. Page 20 Portland's 2026 Common Council Goals are guided by our commitment to equity, safety, and connection, ensuring that our work strengthens communities and creates pathways for all residents to thrive. Page 21 Accelerate Housing Production and Strengthen Affordability Protections Housing & Economic Development Committee Address Portland’s housing challenges by encouraging the development of more homes and protecting affordability, so current and future residents can live and thrive in our community. Page 22 Reduce Chronic Homelessness Health & Human Services & Public Safety Committee Decrease the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness by advancing policy to enhance support systems and address the underlying causes that lead to housing instability in our community. Page 23 Reduce Pedestrian and Bicyclist Fatalities Sustainability & Transportation Committee Create safer streets for all users by advancing policy to prevent traffic deaths and injuries while improving accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. Page 24 Support Affordability for All Residents Through New Revenue Policies and Targeted Tax Relief Finance Committee Ease the tax burden for Portland residents by finding new ways to fund city services and providing direct tax relief to households who need it most. Page 25 Advance the Goals of One Climate Future Sustainability & Transportation Committee Address climate change by cutting carbon emissions, expanding clean energy and energy-efficient buildings, supporting sustainable transportation, and preparing Portland for a resilient, low-carbon future. Page 26 Strengthen Economic Vitality and Support Local Businesses Housing & Economic Development Committee Foster a thriving local economy by increasing support for businesses and strengthening conditions that help Portland's business community grow. Page 27 City of Portland | City Council Mark Dion, Mayor Draft 2026 Work Plan for the Health & Human Services and Public Safety Council Committee The Portland City Council established its 2026 Common Goals (Attached) on January 26, 2026, formally communicating its policy priorities for the coming year and setting a foundation for the development of Council committees’ work plans. The 2026 schedule currently includes nine (9) meetings for each committee, and the development of a single, original policy initiative typically takes two or three committee meetings. This ft includes conceptual discussion, review of a draft ordinance or other policy document, and a public hearing where the committee votes on whether or not to recommend that the City Council adopt the policy initiative. Based on those constraints, it is recommended that a committee work plan include no more than five (5) original policy initiatives to start. In addition to the development and consideration of original policy initiatives, committee work ra will also include consideration of items referred to a committee by the Council or brought by staff, as well as hosting panels or presentations as needed. Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee​ Policy Initiative 2026 Work Plan Related Council Goal Priority Ranking D1.​ Review missions of city shelter facilities (i.e., Family Shelter, Warming Shelter) 2.​ Consider recommending funding a dayspace as part of the FY27 budget 3.​ Consider policy to allow the operation of overdose prevention centers 4.​ Assess and consider regulation of charitable food distribution 5.​ Review current efforts to reduce syringe waste and explore additional policy solutions. Reduce Chronic Homelessness Reduce Chronic Homelessness Reduce Chronic Homelessness Reduce Chronic Homelessness Reduce Chronic Homelessness TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD 1 Page 28  6.​ Potential item related to public safety - N/A TBD subject to Committee consensus. 7.​ Potential item related to cruise ships N/A TBD and public health - subject to Committee consensus. Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee 2026 Calendar (Dates and topics are subject to change) February 10: ●​ March 10: ●​ April 14: ●​ ​ ft May 12: ●​ June 9: ●​ July 14: ●​ ra D August: No meeting September 8: ●​ October 13: ●​ November 10 ●​ December: No meeting 2 Page 29