An entrepreneur wants to buy a cruise ship to make homes for the poor and homeless
In the last few years, the city of Portland, Maine, has been facing a problem common to many large cities, namely, the lack of affordable housing, for those who need it most.
A local entrepreneur seems to have found a solution, or at least part of it, to this question! In fact, he has decided to buy an old cruise ship and turn it into floating housing accommodations to be used by the homeless.
This is an original, unorthodox idea that could offer a home to many people who would otherwise continue to sleep on the city sidewalks.
WTMW/abc8
The entrepreneur Ken Capron wants to contribute to trying to find a solution to the problem of affordable housing, which is affecting Portland.
His idea is to use existing structures that are no longer used, like old cruise ships. His proposal is to buy the disused boat and to dock it permanently in the city's port.
In fact, a cruise ship would have enough space to accommodate more than 1000 people.
The project is obviously ambitious, but if it were actually realized, it would solve a problem that local administrators cannot face alone especially with the few resources they have.
Ken Capron is examining the population of Portland to assess how many and who are entitled to social housing. His research has produced a subdivision into four categories of inhabitants, namely, the homeless, those with low income, immigrants and individuals belonging to the so-called labor force (employed and unemployed workers).
According to Capron's proposal, the ship would be divided into five areas, each of which will contain approximately one hundred housing units. Furthermore, everyone will receive a free professional training course on board.
The mayor of Portland Ethan Strimling has shown himself to be open to collaborating with Ken Capron's proposal.
In fact, this is not the first time that someone has brought such an idea to his attention, but it is certainly the most concrete and easily achievable, even though it will take many regulations and adjustments to bring the "houseboat" up to standard.
Meanwhile, the project already has a name: "Hope Harbor".
