By Guy Page

With the Town of Brattleboro poised to remove its homeless encampments, homeless advocates are crying ‘hobophobia’ and calling in the ACLU, the Brattleboro Reformer reported January 7. 

After years of coping with rampant drug use, vandalism, littering, unsanitary conditions, crime and panhandling that downtown business owners say drives away customers, the town selectboard on January 6 resolved – almost – to remove encampments – a policy first proposed three years ago. 

Select Board members voted 3-2 Tuesday, January 6 to table discussion on a local policy for removing encampments so they could get input from the ACLU of Vermont and Planning Commission.

Board Vice Chairman Oscar Heller, who voted with the majority on Tuesday, said the encampment removal policy is in place but just hasn’t been officially confirmed. Board member Peter “Fish” Case wanted nothing to do with tabling the decision, the Reformer – the daily newspaper for Windham County and its county seat, Brattleboro – said he worries the board will spend another few hours to “relitigate” the policy due to “some veiled threat from the ACLU.” 

“Are they going to come in here and sue us?” he said. “I don’t think so. This town is right up to their eyeballs in compassion and the way that we deal with things.” 

Jessica Radbord, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Vermont, sought the policy delay “so we can provide you with tailored feedback” with data specific to Vermont and Windham County. She also wants to provide information about case law and a bill that will be introduced during the legislative session related to encampments. 

It is unclear which legislation Radbord was referring to. However, the bi-partisan H.594, a Temporary Emergency Housing and Accountability Program and the Return Home Program was co-sponsored this week by Rep. Theresa Wood, chair of House Human Services.

If enacted as written, H.594 would take effect next year and shift state assistance away from a reliance on hotels and motels toward a tiered continuum of care that emphasizes shelters, transitional housing, and permanent residency. Eligibility is strictly defined to prioritize the most vulnerable populations, such as those with disabilities or minor children, while requiring participants to engage in active case management. 

The bill also introduces a voluntary relocation initiative to assist non-residents in returning to their home states if they lack local support. To ensure transparency, the act mandates rigorous reporting on program expenditures, participant outcomes, and fraud prevention measures. Overall, the proposal seeks to balance immediate humanitarian needs with long-term fiscal responsibility and housing stability.

Back in Brattleboro, closing encampments doesn’t set well with staff at 69A, a downtown art center where homeless community members receive resources. Removing encampments means more people on the street, coordinator Lisa Marie said. Instead, they want to see trash receptacles, lockers and public bathrooms in town. 

“I understand a lot of people are afraid of people who don’t have a place to sleep,” said Lisa Marie. “Hobophobia is very severe in this town and it’s very sad.” 

Getting personal belongings back after an encampment is removed can be nearly impossible, she said. “Personal property means a lot to people who have nothing,” she said, and replacing items can be burdensome to those who are helping those in need. 

Town officials said people displaced from encampments are given contact information to retrieve their belongings from the Department of Public Works, with Selectboard Chair John Keir noting the town is not required to store the items but aims not to “make life more difficult for people going through homelessness.” Town highway officials say salvaged belongings are kept in a safe, dry shed and tagged with the location, date and time they were collected, and are held for at least 14 days before disposal; items contaminated with blood, human waste or drug paraphernalia are discarded, and most tents are not saved because they are typically found in unusable condition.

‘Hobophobia’ is a term first known to be used for at least two decades, according to the Urban Dictionary. It is defined as “an unreasonable fear of the homeless.” Wikipedia distinguishes between hobos, tramps, and bums: Hoboes, tramps, and bums are generally regarded as related, but distinct: a hobo travels and is willing to work; a tramp travels, but avoids work if possible; a bum neither travels nor works.”

The move to table was made by selectboard member Isaac Evans-Frantz, a former Vermont Public news reporter and WDEV Vermont Viewpoint host. He was prompted after an article in the Commons weekly newspaper about the encampment removal process raised concerns for him.