Progressives on the state and local level are doing everything possible to avoid the coming humanitarian crises

Neighbors -

Chittenden County’s population of people experiencing homelessness has grown tremendously. In 2019, we had a recent historic low of people experiencing homelessness (around 340) down from around 470 in 2015. This grew to 700 people in 2021 only dropping slightly in 2022 to 668. 

At the same time, the state’s General Assistance (GA) Emergency Housing Motel Program will end on May 31 and June 30th for nearly 90% of current participants. The Governor called for an end of Covid related eligibility rules and he does not support an extension of the program. Legislative leaders failed to include necessary funding to provide a humane transition of nearly 2,000 households from the program as of June 30th. Many of these people are part of our most vulnerable populations — disabled Vermonters, children, and people with serious health conditions. This is leading to a significant emergency housing crisis in a matter of days.  Even with the GA Emergency Housing Program , we have seen increases in camping activity in Burlington in 2022 and 2023. 

Although the FY24 state budget includes $60 million dedicated to expanding emergency shelters, converting motels into housing, and building affordable housing, these long-term units are unlikely to be available for another 2 years. Progressive legislators proposed several viable solutions to support unhoused Vermonters and rallied the support of several Democrats for the proposals. Some of these proposals were adopted, while others failed to advance. In the final days of the session, the budget conference committee (H.494) allocated an additional $10 million in grant funding to shelters to address the homelessness crisis — however, this funding will be used for short-term, dead end solutions such as buying tents and other camping equipment. House and Senate Progressives, alongside a dozen Democrats, ultimately voted no on the budget due to the lack of meaningful policy solutions to the housing humanitarian crisis. The final vote on May 12th indicated the budget does not have a veto-proof majority at this time. Progressive legislators believe we can and must do better. 

On May 15, the City Council passed a resolution requesting that the administration research and reexamine 1) The current sheltering on public lands policy 2) Camping options when shelter capacity has been reached, including but not limited to sanctioned camping; and, 3) Storage and bathroom access. The resolution deliberately excludes policy changes to areas where camping is already prohibited – all parks and the urban reserve. Yet, the Mayor’s Office has voiced strong opposition to this research being completed. 

As hundreds of people are evicted from the state program and more people within our city become homeless, we know there will be an increase in camping. At this time, Burlington has begun to coordinate with state agencies and area service providers to develop a cohesive plan for how City staff and partners should collectively address this influx. Progressive city councilors and state legislators are working proactively with partners to come up with humane, temporary solutions as we work towards placing people in permanent, affordable housing. Camping is not our goal, but it is our reality for the foreseeable future, and we must move forward with a plan that keeps everyone safe. 

On the state level, there are still options available to solve the emergency housing crisis. Progressive legislators are working with a coalition of Democrats to create better short-term solutions than those suggested by the administration’s current plan to set up a total of three last-minute temporary state-wide shelters. We are also working with our colleagues to propose a new budget during the June veto session. This proposal will guarantee that no one is evicted from the motel program and put out on the street, the state adopts eligibility criteria for the program to protect the most vulnerable, and develops a just transition policy to move current participants out of the program to secure housing. It will be funded by reallocating significant funding in the capital budget reserved for use until 2026 by the Governor and other flexible funding sources.

 

The alternative budget proposal can be considered if enough legislators sustain the expected budget veto. Once the current budget bill is defeated, the legislature can resubmit the budget using alternative proposals to gain enough support from legislators and, hopefully, the Governor. We are prepared to use the process available to legislators to finalize a budget that meets the emergency needs of Vermonters by July 1st. 

We need your help to make a new budget possible. Please call Governor Scott, House Speaker Jill Krowinski, and Senate Pro Tem Phil Baruth at (802) 828-2228 (you can leave a message at the same number for all three). Let them know that the rapid unhousing of people without a transition plan is not what we want for Vermonters. Tell them that you view housing as a foundational pillar of public safety. Remind them that housing is health care. Housing is abuse prevention. Housing is addiction treatment. Housing is a human right. And Vermont can do better.

City Councilor Zoraya Hightower
City Councilor Joe Magee
City Councilor Gene Bergman
City Councilor Melo Grant

State Rep. Emma Mulvaney Stanak
State Rep Taylor Small
State Rep. Brian Cina
State Rep. Kate Logan
State Rep. Troy Headrick