Auburn Resource Center
In February 2025, the City of Auburn initiated operations at the (still under construction) Auburn Resource Center (ARC). This transformative project aims to expand access to essential services, enhance coordination among providers, and promote accountability in addressing unmet community needs. The ARC embodies Auburn’s dedication to dismantling barriers to care and creating new opportunities for stability, independence, and dignity for all residents. This initiative aligns with the objectives outlined in the President’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to Homelessness Services, ensuring that local support systems become more efficient, effective, and equitable for those most in need.
A centralized hub for connection + care
Located within Auburn’s only federally designated Opportunity Zone, the 15,000-square-foot ARC is housed in a repurposed city-owned facility, transforming a vacant commercial space into a vibrant community hub. The ARC brings together municipal services and nonprofit partners under one roof, providing comprehensive wraparound support for individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Our on-site partners
- Better Life Partners –substance use and mental health treatment
- The Drop-In Center – immediate respite, food and clothing access, and resource navigation
- Goodwill of Northern New England – vocational services
- Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services (MEIRS) –housing navigation and vocational services
- Maine Pretrial Services – pre & post-trial case management and diversion options
- Maine Reentry Network – reentry support for justice-involved individuals
- Recovery Connections of Maine – peer-based support, addiction recovery services, and recovery housing
- Spurwink – behavioral health services
Together, these organizations form a coordinated safety net that addresses hunger, homelessness, behavioral health, and reentry challenges while fostering community resilience and individual empowerment.
The City of Auburn’s Role
The Auburn City Council has allocated nearly $3 million towards the acquisition and renovation of these facilities, utilizing CDBG entitlement funds, a Section 108 HUD loan, as well as ARPA funds. City staff now serve as a municipal anchor within the ARC, aligning city programs and federal resources to promote housing stability and improve public health outcomes:
- The Community Development Office administers CDBG and HOME programs to promote affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization.
- The General Assistance Office provides emergency relief for residents in crisis.
- The Public Health Manager bridges homelessness services with broader health initiatives, ensuring access to safe, healthy living conditions.
Measurable Impact
- In February 2025, the Drop-In Center officially relocated to the ARC at 121 Mill Street. Despite the facility still being built out, it recorded 4,551 visits from 738 unique individuals by the close of PY24.
- The city also funded Preble Street’s Rapid Rehousing program, which supported five households (ten individuals) in achieving greater housing stability and financial independence.
- Additionally, through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the Project Support You (PSY) program launched a co-responder model pairing mental health and substance use specialists with Auburn police and fire personnel. In PY24, these co-responders participated in 929 rescue and police calls, engaging 1,237 individuals, 509 of whom were homeless.
Looking Ahead
The Auburn Resource Center continues to evolve as a model of collaboration and innovation in service provision and homelessness response. By integrating housing, health, and human services under one roof, Auburn is demonstrating what a coordinated community approach can achieve: reducing duplication, strengthening outcomes, and building a stronger, more compassionate Maine.
