By Michael Bielawski

End Homelessness Vermont has alleged substantial state overspending on emergency housing intended to help those exiting the now-expiring hotel voucher program.

“After a mass un-sheltering of over 1,000 Vermonters this fall, due to the administration’s insistence that Vermont could not afford to keep our most vulnerable safe, the Governor then stood up two family shelters with a price tag of no less than 3.2 million,” their presser states.

They allege that if the same 17 families for the same duration were back in the hotel program, it would have cost only $217,600.

“This administration is paying $2.75 million more than is necessary to shelter 17 families while simultaneously saying that they do not prioritize Vermonters under 50 in wheelchairs, with health conditions, on oxygen and with other significant and complex needs,” it states.

Headlines wrong about “prioritization” policy

The release highlighted an unfounded accusation – based on an erroneous press report, later withdrawn from publication – that the state was unfairly limiting access to shelters for certain groups with disabilities who are under the age of 50.

“The Administration’s announcement that it will continue the discriminatory prioritization categories throughout the winter months is not only inhumane, it does not follow the law, which created no such prioritization categories and clearly states who is eligible for shelter on a first come, first serve basis,” the presser stated in good faith.

It has since been acknowledged that the state did not implement a prioritization plan regarding eligibility to enter the shelters. The VDC received an email from Brenda Siegal, the organization’s director, that “They didn’t implement prioritization, it is moot.”

Turning folks away

The release states that some people seeking housing are being turned away. In at least one example, the implications were deadly. They share a story of a potential client with special needs that was turned away with deadly consequences.

They say this person “ended up with a blood infection that has now spread throughout his entire body. This is unfortunately not the first situation like this that our organization has seen.”

More affordable housing on the way

Executive Director of the Vermont State Housing Authority Kathleen Berk is in headlines on Tuesday regarding the availability of affordable housing. Berk says, “The Agency of Transportation is readying those lots, that have often been vacant for years. And preparing them for a mobile home. And that includes, you know, pouring the slab and improving the lot.”

According to a story appearing in VtDigger, it is unclear where many of those exiting the hotel program are ending up.

“[A named individual] is one of more than 1,500 people — including 378 children — who have exhausted their stays through the motel voucher program this fall, according to Nellie Marvel, the legislative and communications director for the Department for Children and Families,” the report states.

On Monday, Sarah Turbow wrote for the Brattleboro Reformer that she was surprised to learn how few local public resources were allocated to deal with homelessness in her community.

“In other words, the town relies on non-profit organizations for all sorts of essential services, and has allocated just $461,276 to fund them all,” she wrote. “I was flabbergasted when I came to understand that there is no additional funding in the budget for homeless services, shelters, or mental health and substance use treatment, given the visible and acute problems in our town.”

The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle