Houlton faces new reality of visible homelessness

Houlton faces new reality of visible homelessness

HOULTON, Maine — On notoriously cold northern Maine nights, Houlton police officers often walk among people huddling under blue tarps and makeshift shelters in the town. They pass out food, hot coffee and handwarmers. This is a new reality in an Aroostook County town of about 6,000 where homeless encampments did not previously exist. Even five years ago, there were maybe one or two homeless people, and they always found a couch to sleep on durin…