A church-run homeless shelter was cited for dozens of fire and building code violations last month and will need to install sprinklers, alarms, fire-safe doors among other upgrades or risk fines and closure.
That's according to formal letters of violation sent to Shelters by Jesus last month by Skowhegan Code Enforcement Officer Aaron Crocker. In addition to fire code violations, Crocker also expressed concern with a bedbug outbreak and the vetting process for allowing people and families to live in the church.
"This property is in violation of multiple provisions of the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC), which adopts the International Building Code, as well as multiple provisions of the NFP A Life Safety Code and NFP A 70 (National Electrical Code)," Crocker wrote. "These violations present significant life safety concerns and must be corrected to bring the building into compliance."
"Shelters by Jesus" is run under the Trinity Evangelical Free Church at 12 McClellan St. Pastor Richard Berry said the church plans to appeal the violations to the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals but will ultimately meet the towns demands.
"We're not trying to get out of being up to code. We're just asking that we could please have some time," Berry said. "These things take time. No matter how fast we move. You can't do them overnight."
Berry said he started the shelter in 2008 after offering housing to friends and neighbors. The faith-based organization also runs a food pantry and a free clothes closet.
On Dec. 1, 2025, the town received a formal complaint regarding a video circulating on social media depicting families living in the common areas of the church.
On Dec. 23, 2025, Aaron Croker, Skowhegan Fire Chief Ryan Johnston and representatives from the Office of the State Fire Marshall inspected the church building. At the time of the inspection, officials noted over 40 people were living in the church.
In their report, they noted mostly small violations such as exposed wiring to missing ceiling tiles and extension cords being used in place of proper wiring. But Berry said some of the larger projects could cost the church tens of thousands of dollars. On Monday, messages on the shelters Facebook page called for volunteers and contractors to help with improvements.
"We were going to need help," Berry said. "[Volunteers] just started bombing me with stuff."
Other than fire safety violations, Crocker noted in a Dec. 4 letter that the shelter had been dealing with a bed bug infestation since September 2025.
Skowhegan Town Manager Nicholas Nadeau said officials from Redington-Fairview General Hospital reported the outbreak on Jan. 11 and asked the Town whether any enforcement action could be taken.
But Berry said the church contracts with pest control professionals that treat beds every two weeks.
"The bedbugs have been taken care of," Berry said.
Also in his Dec. 4 letter, Crocker expressed concern with the shelter's vetting process and videos on social media appearing to show children not being separated from the general homeless adult population.
"I have contacted multiple state and local departments, all of whom have stated they lack jurisdiction or authority to address these ongoing concerns," Crocker wrote. "The result is that families with young children and infants are residing in an unlicensed facility, in a communal environment with unvetted adults, without any regulatory oversight or clear path for enforcement."
Shelters by Jesus has a men's shelter adjacent to the main church building. That shelter was not included in the town's Dec. 23 inspection.
Berry said the population of the two buildings only mingle during mealtimes and prayer sessions and that every resident receives a criminal background screening from local police.
"I protect these babies like they're my babies. These are our kids, and we're not just a homeless shelter. We're big family," he said.
Crocker noted because the shelter is not licensed and does not receive state funding, it is not required to comply with the Maine State Housing Authority's Homeless Solutions Rules, including the requirements regarding the housing of families with children.
Formal letters of violation said the shelter must address the violations by Feb. 17 but Town Manager Nicholas Nadeau said the timeline is flexible if church officials communicate their plan. He said the town would coordinate and fund transportation to relocate residents to regulated shelters if Shelters by Jesus does not comply.
"We want to make sure the most vulnerable population is where they're going to be in a safe environment," Nadeau said. "Sure, there's heat and sure, there's water and sure, there's food. But at the end of the day, is that going to matter if a fire breaks out and unfortunately you lose your life to that?"
