WILLISTON, Vt. (WCAX) – What’s next for housing the homeless in Vermont? The annual Point in Time count found nearly 3,500 people experiencing homelessness statewide earlier this year. With fewer options available now, here’s what state officials are looking to next with winter on our doorstep.
As Vermont’s hotel-motel housing program continues to wind down, Gov. Phil Scott reflects on the $70 million annual investment.
“I think the hotel-motel program was a failure. I think it cost too much money and it was just housing people and it didn’t help them in the long run,” said Scott, R-Vermont.
Families that had to leave the program were set up in new temporary shelters, including one in Williston, and one in Waterbury which is more than housing. The hope is state employees will also help folks find housing and employment, and offer addiction services if needed. This costs the state just under $3 million for just a few months in operation.
“We couldn’t do that in the hotel-motel program because they were housed there and they didn’t have to let us in. And we didn’t know what they were doing, what their problems were. We were just paying the bills. This way, we were able to connect with them,” Scott said.
But there is a need for more than just families. Tents continue to line areas near the skate park and bike path in Burlington.
The Committee on Temporary Shelter says they see 75 to 100 people at their Daystation, up from 55 on average in the summer.
“We are definitely seeing an uptick in folks who are coming here for services,” COTS Executive Director Jonathan Farrell said.
Farrell says help is on the way with the plans to work with the city to take over an old state building on Pearl Street.
“That will be a short-term project. So, that will run through through April and then we are planning to renovate that space into a new home for our current shelter,” Farrell said.
When done, the building will be the new location for COTS’ main shelter, boosting them from 36 to 56 beds.
Farrell knows more help is needed statewide but it’s a step forward, like the temporary shelter in Williston.
“It does provide a bridge for folks,” he said.
The governor agrees it’s a temporary step forward, putting the resources where the people are. It’s something he hopes the state can do more of.
“I think that in the long run, this will be a success as a result,” Scott said.