MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Advocates for the homeless on Thursday called on Vermont lawmakers to keep the state’s hotel-motel program running until a permanent shelter solution is found.
The voucher program is currently set to expire this summer. Advocates say many losing housing have physical, mental, and developmental disabilities.
The new Housing First Coalition wants lawmakers to adopt what they call a “housing first’ approach by investing in shelter and then providing health, employment, and other services later. They say it’s a practical and philosophical approach to solving homelessness.
“We can look to the example of the Veterans Administration, which has seen dramatic improvements to homelessness even against the backdrop of rising rates of homelessness nationally,” said Anne Sosin, a public health researcher at Dartmouth College.
It’s estimated that keeping everyone sheltered and connected to services would cost around $160 million. Advocates say the cost of unsheltered Vermonters costs more, especially in emergency room visits and medical care.
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