PORTLAND, Maine — A state audit has found that more than one-third of the 30 people who stayed the longest at two of Portland's city-run homeless shelters each had at least $20,000 in the bank.
The audit by the Department of Health and Human Services concluded that the city is in violation of legal and regulatory requirements in the way it determines shelter eligibility. The state provides General Assistance reimbursements to cities for eligible people staying at homeless shelters
The Portland Press Herald reports that the audit found that the person who had stayed at city shelters the longest had nearly $92,500 in his accounts, while another was reported to have as much as $161,000 in liquid assets.
Portland officials say they are operating its homeless shelters in accordance with state law.