ST. ALBANS, Vt. (WCAX) – Construction delays are to blame for the postponed opening of a youth homeless shelter in St. Albans.
The Lake Street shelter run by Spectrum Youth Services was expected to open this month but now that has been set back to March at the earliest.
With frigid temperatures across the state, officials say the need to shelter young Vermonters is dire. “So they can focus on gaining those independent living skills and moving forward with their lives instead of focusing on, ‘What am I going to eat? How am I going to stay warm? How am I going to stay alive tonight.’ So, that shelter is really going to be important for helping youth and their safety,” said Spectrum’s Stefanie Comstock.
When complete, the shelter is expected to have 10 beds for adults ages 18 to 24. It will also be staffed with coaches to help the youth.