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By Carla Occaso – Republished from the August 21 Montpelier Bridge
Why should they move and where should they go?
That was the predominant question during Montpelier’s Aug. 14 City Council meeting concerning a tent encampment created by about a dozen unhoused people that has been increasing in size since the former Elks Club shelter closed May 29. City officials said they are asking, not forcing, those people to move out following some disturbing incidents. However, at least one of those at the camp says he isn’t going anywhere.
Encampment dweller Derek Malbroux, who said he had been arrested earlier in the week, told council members neither he nor the remaining encampment dwellers were willing to leave because of the bad acts of someone else.
“It is really sad that we have people here trying to make something of their lives and it is really hard to do that when we keep getting grouped in with the criminalistic behavior of some of our unhoused community members,” he said. “I’ve spoken with everyone at camp and I think everyone has made up their mind that they are not going to move.”
Malbroux said they want to avoid conflict and just want to stay at the site until October, when the shelter reopens.
“Then everyone will pack up and you will never hear from it again,” Malbroux said.
Malbroux said he comes from a military family and served from 2013 to 2015 with the U.S. Army National Guard at Louisiana’s Camp Beauregard as a member of the 773rd battalion doing water rescue.
“I am one of the campers up there and I have been on a hunger strike just as a way for me to vent — to do something for myself,” he said. “I come from Louisiana. Growing up there we had to fight every single day. I am trying to unlearn a bunch of behaviors because I realize I don’t have to fight anymore. I have a community that will look out for me and the hunger strike was a way for me to assert my rights without allowing me to fall victim to my own temper.”
Malbroux said further that he is willing to work at the site. He said he would go around and pick up trash and maintain the site. He said he volunteers at the community garden and wants to take part in his community.
The Bridge caught up with Malbroux at Shaw’s on Aug. 19. He said he had ended his hunger strike after four days, but still maintains neither he nor the others camping at Country Club Road encampment are willing to leave because they were told by the people “at Good Sam” they could camp on the site until October. Also, he said he appreciates the community support he has been getting, including deliveries of food and water. He also said he would appreciate it if people join in when he and his group are holding vigils, which are held at “no set time” in front of city hall.
People camping at the city’s Country Club Road property had been encouraged to move during the week of Aug. 12 when “no camping” signs were posted. The perceived eviction attracted a crowd of people to the city council meeting waiting in line to speak up — mostly in support of the homeless campers.
The encampment has been allowed by the city throughout the summer, according to City Manager Bill Fraser, who said the city “looked the other way” and let people with nowhere else to go camp on the city-owned property. However, several at the meeting spoke of an individual who moved in and caused trouble, creating problems for everyone at the site. Other incidents followed, which prompted city staff to post signs stating “No camping High Sensitivity area.”
That wording ties directly to the encampment policy adopted by the council in 2021, which states, “The City of Montpelier and its staff shall take a general non-involvement approach to any found emergency sleeping camp sites, with the particular lens of not criminalizing people creating shelter due to a lack of housing. Staff will intervene and ask encampments to relocate if they are found in ‘high-sensitivity areas’ meeting specific health and safety criteria as outlined in this policy.”
The policy further states that, rather than arresting people for trespassing, staff members will offer to connect people with shelters and services if they have nowhere else to go. The person who had been causing the most trouble was brought to the hospital for mental health treatment.
Police Chief Eric Nordenson said the problem evolved when a couple of people started camping out at the Country Club Road property, followed by six more, and then around 12 to 15 people as others from all over the state heard about the encampment. Part of the issue arose because a crisis clinician was helping the unhoused by giving them tents and directing them to the Country Club Road site, Nordensen said, but that has since stopped.
On Aug. 13, the Montpelier Police Department responded to an incident at the encampmment involving two people, one from Colchester and one from Milton.
“We are not just dealing with the local folks. It has become a magnet for people from outside our area,” Nordenson said. “We’ve had waves of people here.”
However, Nordenson said he has been actively trying to get unhoused people “out of the woods.”
He described a recent conversation with Gov. Phil Scott on the topic. “I interrupted the governor. I said, ‘I need a building!’,” Nordenson said, recounting how he told the governor that if he gets a building, the city will figure out how to staff it and manage it. “We have to deal with the behavior in the woods right now. It is growing,” Nordenson said.
While the encampment policy allows camping on city-owned property for people without alternative shelter, City Manager Bill Fraser said no place in town is specifically designated for camping, but people are managing to find enclaves. And when the groups get too big, it becomes difficult for law enforcement to manage. Conflicts have arisen on the bike path and other places.
Still, Fraser said police are not going to go in and forcibly drag people off the site.
“They are not being evicted. They are more or less illegally trespassing. There have been some illegal behaviors. We believe we have followed the response policy,” Fraser said.
Steven Whitaker suggested putting a cluster of huts on the property that would shelter and warm the unhoused. He also called for bringing in a trailer with toilets and showers. And he criticized the city council for allowing a group to organize disc golf on the property if it is not also suitable for encampments after declaring the property a highly sensitive area.
Carlton Anderson, a former Planning Commission member and one- time mayoral candidate, said he is currently couchsurfing and has been home insecure since the age of 17. He urged the council to take action on the homelessness situation.
A person introducing themselves as ‘Kiah, Cam, or Eddie,’ said homeless people are our neighbors and deserve respect. Rhonna Gable, who ran the Elks Club winter shelter for Good Samaritan Haven, said she has been visiting the encampment and bringing water throughout the summer. Gable asked for names and dates of incidents so she could help get people the services they need.
“On October 1st we will move people inside. If people are ‘no trespassed’ from a site, then it will be difficult,” Gable said regarding a possible consequence by law enforcement to people who refuse to leave the encampment. “What are the next steps if people choose not to move?” This question was not answered during the meeting except for Fraser saying he would work with people to help them find a better location. However, Gable said the people at Country Club Road have been offered other locations and “they decline to go.”
A person introducing herself as Tanya said people aren’t being evicted but they are being displaced. Fraser said when the groups go from smaller to larger, it gets dangerous. Valerie Coolidge then told the city council of her experience as a homeless person in Montpelier.
“We hear ‘Vermont Strong’ and ‘Neighbor Helping Neighbor’ and it is only for the privileged,” Coolidge said.
“People are being displaced from their own communities. These are our neighbors. They are living homeless, going to school homeless, and we are shoving them into the woods — or not allowing them into the woods,” Coolidge said.
She suggested helping people who are homeless navigate practical solutions like setting up a mailbox and filling out paperwork. Others spoke out along similar lines, saying homeless people need support and housing.
Mayor Jack McCullough said creating new buildings takes time, but that the city is working toward putting 300 to 400 new units of housing on the Country Club Road property. The city has filed a growth center application, which will allow the city to start getting funds in order to install infrastructure. Fraser pointed to the housing created in recent years such as the apartments above the transit center and Aubuchon Hardware.
Councilor Adrienne Gil suggested merging the efforts of the Homelessness Task Force and the Housing Committee to come up with solutions. Councilor Lauren Hierl said she wanted to make sure the city isn’t criminalizing homelessness and that she wants a person with the state to help get the money to train unhoused people for jobs.
Julie Bond, co-executive director of Good Samaritan Haven, said there is “compassion fatigue” out there and that creating housing and shelters takes time. However, shelter is needed immediately, she said. No action was taken by the city council.
In other business, the council approved an amended purchasing policy as presented by Finance Director Sarah Lacroix and further amended by council member Cary Brown. The crux of the amendment is to make the purchasing process more flexible, such as when not enough bids come in for a project, or if city staff members think all the bids are too high, the city can reach out to companies that might work out better. The goal is to “update finance policies given that we will have an influx of federal funds with FEMA,” LaCroix said. Brown asked to include a reference to the responsible employer ordinance to the policy. Council member Tim Heney said he would rather not see the responsible employer ordinance included since it was supposed to be part of future discussion. He was outvoted.
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Categories: Local government
“We are not just dealing with the local folks. It has become a magnet for people from outside our area,” Nordenson said. “We’ve had waves of people here.”
They’re coming in droves for the ridiculous amounts of services they receive here in Vermont. Don’t worry about the taxpayers Montpelier, let’s make sure the lazy from other states have everything they need to live, including a free parcel to live on and destroy. If you want them gone, stop the inane services and free housing and they’ll disappear to an easier existence.
Malbroux was quoted on another news site recently as saying that he’d been panhandling in another state when he heard about the VT motel program so he came here.
VT is so incredibly stupid and run by brainless leftists who are all too happy to take your money and redistribute it to those who don’t work for it. If it had to have a motel program or homeless services, the least it should have done was restrict it to actual VT residents. Now VT is crawling with those who came here to get “free stuff “. They cross the state line and voila, a new VT resident in need of services, paid for by YOU.
My family has now left VT. We don’t miss this insanity in the least.
“he’d been panhandling in another state when he heard about the VT motel program so he came here.”
It needs to be converted to a State (private would be better) insurance program for people that successfully live and work in VT at minimum 2 years without assistance, before needing assistance.
There should also be a burden of good standing with regards to criminal activity and substance abuse. If you can afford drugs and alcohol, you can afford to not take the taxpayer’s money.
If you have a drug problem you can be bussed to a facility in a State that is better equipped to deal with the problem.
The same rules should apply to any subsidized housing development. In order to qualify, you should have first contributed to Vermont for a period of time, and not have any criminal/substance issues.
If you have legitimate residency and become legally disabled, you belong in a group facility for being disabled, not in a hotel room by yourself. We need a more efficient and meaningful facility for the disabled and elderly. They should have the highest priority, not able bodied druggies.
If you want to be a criminal and druggie. I’m fine with it, just do it on your own dime and face your consequences. “Tough love”
More goat herder housing being built in St. Albans City. Come one come all and the taxpayer will help pay for your two hundred fifty thousand dollar one bedroom apartment.
https://cdn.mises.org/2024-08/83_Minor-Issues_Thornton_20240824.mp3
The movie line ” Build it, and they will come ” sure has taken a real turn, Vermont with its open-door policies for every Tom, Dick, and Harry looking for handouts, and that includes free housing !!
Again these vagrants, do what they want, and the officials do nothing, when they do move along who picks up and pays again for the filthy clean up ….. you the taxpayer.
Want them to move from public parks and public green spaces, take a fire hose to them, and pray for heavy snow………………. sounds harsh, it is !!
Wake up people, your elected officials, are not helping these people they are only
enticing them to stay.
While I sympathize with the plight of the homeless, and the homeless military veterans in particular, I have to ask the obvious question – why are they homeless in the first place? Are they addicted to drugs? Do they have mental problems? Or did life deal them a bad hand at this particular time, which I think happens to all of us at some point in our lives.
But as much sympathy as I have for those truly “beat down by life”, the facts remain. Yes, these encampments don’t attract our best and brightest. Yes, there are illegal activities going on. And that’s the key word… illegal. Illegal! Once again, for those who don’t like the law the way is written, fight to change the law instead of complaining. Laws for thee but not for me, right? But I digress.
I look around, and it seems everywhere I go, many businesses have Help Wanted signs out front. Are they all high paying jobs? Of course not. But here in Vermont, where you have to pay $18-$20 per hour for a job that’s worth half that, that isn’t that bad. On $40k per year, you should at least be able to afford shelter and some decent food. I think the majority of us have taken jobs like that at one time or another to make it through a rough patch. So my feeling is, if you aren’t handicapped, you should be able to find something at least halfway decent to “tide you over”. And if you do have a handicap, where are the agencies who we’re funding specifically to help those folks? They shouldn’t be in encampments. Nor should out vets.
Which is why I support bringing back Poor Farms. If someone is capable of working, shelter and feed the folks from these encampments at Poor Farms. I don’t care if they’re picking up trash from our streets, removing graffiti, or helping with the harvests. Doesn’t matter, it’s all productive and beneficial. The only requirement? Be out there looking for work at least 2 days per week, and be able to prove it.
Perhaps this group can answer your questions. Perhaps they care to open their books and let us know how, who, when, and where their budget money went for 39 years? Interesting how many Vermont non-profiteers, task forces, and committees are assembled and compensated, yet more and more people are homeless with many more teetering in that direction. Where is all the money going? Hogs at the trough.
“Since 1985, the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition (VAHC), has been committed to ensuring all Vermonters have decent, safe and affordable housing. This coalition of the state’s non-profit affordable housing developers, community land trusts, housing and homeless advocacy groups and service providers, public housing authorities, regional planners, economic service providers, funders, state agencies, individuals, and others has been advocating for affordable housing interests and the interests of low-income Vermonters at the state and federal levels.”
“The Coalition’s 90-plus members represent most of Vermont’s non-profit affordable housing developers, community land trusts, homeless shelters and service providers, public housing authorities, funding agencies, community action agencies, regional planners, and housing, disability and tenants’ rights advocates. Our individual members include housing professionals and advocates who share VAHC’s mission.
VAHC is guided by a 13-person Steering Committee and staffed by a full-time Director and two Americorps VISTA members.
VAHC is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization.”
Robin, you ask all the right questions, but they fall on deaf ears. Vermont is so busy trying to heal and change the earth’s climate that they can’t be bothered with the invasion the homeless from all over the country. Start feeding a stray animal and they will keep coming.
Massachusetts to our south, the great sanctuary paradise for illegals has had so many show up for their goodies that the state is actually deporting the overflow.
You would think that the voters would get tired of the incompetence of our so-called leaders, but I won’t hold my breath. While our state is consumed by drug addiction, drug dealers, crime, mental health issues and a newly created homeless destination, our leaders are chasing windmills and stuffing their pockets with lobbyist cash.
The sign really should read: “camping and all other illegal activities allowed, Vermont is a high sensitivity area”…referring of course to the pathetic ideological “sensitivity” that most Vermont voters suffer from.
The task of weaning various people and groups from the national nipple will not be easy. The sound of whines, bawls, screams and invective will fill the air as the agony of withdrawal pangs finds voice. –Linda Bowles, “The Weaning Process, ” Washington Times, December 20, 1994
Granted, However, there are two sides to every coin. I would counter with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt:
“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…”
In other words, the stuff worth doing isn’t supposed to be easy.
You mean the grifters and grubberment right? California April 2024: ” California has spent $20 billion over the past five years dedicated to the state’s homelessness crisis, including funneling money toward supporting shelters and subsidizing rent. Still, homelessness grew 6% in 2023 from the year prior, to more than 180,000 people, according to federal “point in time” data. Since 2013, homelessness has grown in California by 53%.”
If no one will answer the question as to where all the money for “affordable housing” went since 1985, and our homeless population is exploding as is California…keep the scales over your eyes and don’t hold the thieves to account, lining their own pockets while emptying ours.
Re: “…the stuff worth doing isn’t supposed to be easy.”
Robin: The question is, why is this dependence a problem in the first place? Creating problems, merely for the reason of having something ‘worth doing’ to do, is the typical governmental paradox. After all, beating one’s head against the wall, difficult as it may be, doesn’t make the effort worthwhile. Again, with friends like these, who needs enemies?
Interesting subject reflecting on the sign of the times. I have raised a family in 3 houses. Have designed and built houses in NH, VT, MD, AL adhering to all the codes, National, state, town for the systems including framing. One house on water front in AL was built on pilings 9. feet above the ground, mostly ladder work due to a flood plane regulation The 10 foot flood height is 10 feet and that is 3 feet above the ground where the house was built, sore feet. Water front, 75 feet away, taxes $500.
Having all the negatives of home ownership I would never live in a house. In VT with property taxes no one OWNES their property, the town and state does. Another problem, if an illegal squatter takes over your property, you cannot get rid of them and they will trash the buildings. VT allows squatters more rights than the owners. The process could take 3 years to get back your property and you’re homeless. It’s happening all over the US.
I have discovered a new lifestyle far better than being permanently fixed in one location, RV. Many people have sold their properties, and hit the road to see the country and no property taxes, some 25,000,000. There’s a system sit up for these people. RV parks are springing up everywhere. Living in them is quite cheap (and there are expensive ones) pick and choose. There are RV clubs. Most of the people are very friendly. I know of parks where people work from them, like a house. The upkeep is cheap. RV’s have all the features of a house except for closets. After being in one and visit a home, my observation is so much wasted space and you’re paying taxes on that waste. You can be in the north summers and south winters. With so many moving to the south, escaping the financial crap of the liberal states, there’s no question to make life better and not be a slave to ownership and those expenses.
In regards to people just moving on a property without permission and trespassing, that’s wrong, they shouldn’t be squatters. They could get together, pool the money, buy a spot of land and move onto it if they don’t like RV parks. There are alternatives. For instance, Florida State Parks, you can RV there at no cost. Just volunteer 20 hours a week doing simple projects. That’s 20 hours per couple or single. I knew a couple from Montreal,, worked like hell one day got their hours in and had the rest of the week for themselves. The life in a State Park can be rewarding, made so many friends from many diff states. FL parks are nice. The RV squatters could do this.
I have included in the monthly rent: WI FI, water, electricity, sewage, at a rent that would make you blush. RV have AC & heating furnaces if needed and close to shopping areas, freedom of movement. I have trees all around, great hunting and fishing, Navy’s Blue Angles flying twice a week Try to beat that and life is laid back, and not homeless. There’s more crime in VT, and not in my locality, I can go to all places.
Another aspect of having an RV in VT, perhaps these “Squatters” know about and why their activity.
Only in VT if you have an RV in a RV park in the town area, The town can and does tax the RV. If the RV is property taxed, the town owns it and can sell it, if the taxes are not paid.
In the property tax bill they have a statement saying “if you move the RV, let us know”. They will send a bill for the taxes. So, if you’re in Montana or Florida, you think you’re going to send tax money to the town? Let the town try to collect without any RV ID. This done in Townshend. An RV is on 4 tires, not stationary (as a house-barn) and can be moved anytime.
Move where? Where do they want these folks to go? Regulatory restrictions make it difficult to build new housing in the state, thanks to our legislature. Noontime yesterday, walking through town to pick up medications. Walk the bike path on route home. Had to divert, at NOONTIME, to avoid the “elements”. I repeat, at noontime. Has it come to the point that the general public needs to arm themselves for their own safety because the politicians are playing politics.
Senior citizens can’t even walk across the flat landing at the statehouse because BGS has the whole flat landing fenced off for interior maintenance. The whole damn landing! To Hell with the elderly that have already paid their dues, and taxes. To Hell with common decency for senior citizens with medical issues that NEED that flat landing. No big deal to maintenance workers with 100% heart capacity. What happened to decency to your fellow human beings? What good is the American Disability Act if the state feels free to beak it, and “they can just deal with it”.
Where are our tax dollars going? State agencies, namely DCF don’t answer, or return phone calls. What is this world and state coming to.?
Housing is one of life’s big expenses. Many of these free spirits are homeless for 2 reasons…they would prefer to spend what financial resources they have on mind altering substances and if someone, namely the taxpayer is willing to pay for their housing or put up with them trashing public spaces, why would they not take advantage? The housing market, for rental or purchase, subsidized or out-of-pocket is tied to the basic economic laws of supply and demand. We already had a shortage of available affordable options when Biden took office, and he has let 10-15 million more indigent people into the country, all in need of a cheap place to live. When you irresponsibly put that level of demand on the affordable housing market and at the same time inhibit the building of new housing by environmental, aesthetic and building code regulations and high interest rates due to obtuse economic policies, we should not be surprised at the result. Voting for democrats and progressives only exacerbates the situation when they want to spend exorbitant amounts public money per-unit on accommodating those who CLAIM TO BE unhoused. All that being said, it is a shame and a tragedy that we have military Veterans sleeping unhoused, since they have EARNED that benefit and should be first in line for any government housing assistance.
Let’s look at this from a common sense point of view.
They come here because of hand outs.
Build it and they will come.
It’s a good thing to be well meaning but not too good if done in a naive way lacking in common sense and even worse if doing with taxpayer money as fools and their money are soon parted…including taxpayer money.
Each state should give a helping hand to the downtrodden but not to other states downtrodden.
Putting up in hotels or building housing and support is bad policy,better build poor farms when they are safe,secure and learn that if you want to eat off the taxpayer you have to work for it in growing your own food,making clothing,tending the hogs,cows and hens/eggs they eat,keeping all clean, and orderly, building a sense of pride, and self worth, and working toward getting back on your feet, and independant, and not sucking the taxpayer tit via a complete mess of scattered programs that do not work, otherwise the sopping up the gravy types, will suck that tit dry, before moving on to a new full tit elsewhere… so soon it is autum ,do away with winter housing programs and free those hotels for paying tourists ,give a chance to winter at a poor farm,for these folks, where all must work, and then let nature take its course…as soon as the first breath of winter comes through, I bet the problem just vanishes overnight.
Let common sense have its way.
Then you have all these scattered programs in one basket,more cost effective and manageable and effective.
It’d be a very good start toward a way forward with reason.
Poor farms? Are farms that are not under the yoke of Big Ag all ready poor? Perhaps the rapid devaluation of our fiat petro dollar is a clue to the rapidly diminishing quality of life. Perhaps the programming is working as designed and the reset will usher in the depopulation numbers they salivate over. Perhaps the homeless should band together, register as a 5013c and start raking in the donations and grants hand over fist – they’ll be living in indifferent comfort in no time at all.