The city of Bangor has asked some people living outside the Hope House shelter near the city's airport to leave the encampment by Friday morning.
Notices were posted inside the encampment earlier this week.
It's not clear exactly how many people will be asked to leave the site, and outreach workers said Thursday that there's confusion about who specifically will be removed.
In a statement, Bangor City Manager Debbie Laurie said that the decision was made after three months of outreach at the Hope House encampment.
"It was based on safety and security concerns for those individuals within the encampment who are engaged with services providers, as observed, and reported by individuals on site, including outreach, as well as neighbors," she said. "The individuals being asked to leave are refusing to engage with outreach staff and are engaged in activity that is endangering the well-being of others. This action is being undertaken to ensure that those individuals who are engaging in services can do so in a safe environment."
During a meeting with the advocacy group Penobscot County Cares on Thursday afternoon, Jason McAmbley of the Bangor Police Department said he isn't sure how many people have been asked to leave, but acknowledged that there could be tension during the partial encampment removal.
"The plan for tomorrow is if necessary they're going to be issued a criminal trespass notice, which means they're going to have to leave," McAmbley said. When that noticed is enforced, that has yet to be decided."
The city said it will provide totes to those who have been asked to leave, and storage options will be available for items that are too large to carry.
