Portland’s City Council voted Monday night to continue supporting the local nonprofit Portland Downtown, including its new Downtown Ambassador Program.
The program dispatches a team to help clean up needles, graffiti, and waste, as well as address open drug use.
The program was launched following complaints from businesses in the city’s downtown.
During Monday night’s meeting, some councilors raised concerns about the program’s $750,000 price tag, but ultimately approved it in an 8-1 vote.
Portland Downtown Executive Director Cary Tyson told councilors the ambassador team consists of five people focused on cleanup, and two others who deal with de-escalation when necessary.
The council also voted to approve funding for an affordable housing development in Nason’s Corner.
The development company Developers Collaborative and the nonprofit Prosperity Maine have taken on the new project.
