By Guy Page
Except for Burlington, the four temporary shelters set up by the State have been ignored by many Vermonters evicted from ‘homeless hotels’ on Friday.
Statistics provided by state officials Tuesday morning show that (except in Burlington) there was little interest in the bare-bones, substance-abuse free, no-weapons allowed, night-time only shelters staffed by emergency services workers, National Guard, and security.
However, media and anecdotal reports say the transition out of the hotel and motel program was not easy for many residents. In Burlington, a monthly dinner offered Saturday night by a non-profit organization for street people saw both more people, and more of them in substance abuse and mental health crisis, than usual.
The state estimate of up to 500 people seeking shelter proved very high. Administration officials last week said they hoped that moving many of the 300 people still staying 24/7 in homeless hotels would encourage some to find other options.
So far, that hope appears to have been fulfilled, as the stats show.
| Site Location | Number of Clients at midnight | Number of staff | Providers present |
| Burlington | 30 | 4 EMS staff, 2 National Guard, Security staff | Howard Center, VCCI, ESD, CVOEO, Burlington Housing, AHS Field Director |
| Rutland | 2 | 4 EMS staff, 2 National Guard, Security staff | Rutland Mental Health, HireablilityVT, VCCI, Economic Services and BROC, AHS Field Director |
| Berlin | 0 | 4 EMS staff, 2 National Guard, Security | ESD, WCMHS, Hireability, AHS Field Director |
| Brattleboro | 0 | 4 EMS staff, 2 National Guard, Security staff | ESD, 2 HCRS, 1 Pathways, 1 HireAbility , AHS Field Director |
Friday, March 15, the Department for Children and Families Adverse Weather Conditions policy long-term stay for General Assistance Emergency Housing ended, at which point the policy moves to night to night, based on the weather. Individuals not otherwise eligible for GA Emergency Housing will need to seek alternate shelter options.
The State, for the first time, set up four short-term, transitional shelters open Friday, March 15, from 7PM to 7AM to give unsheltered individuals additional time to seek an alternate solution, according to state officials. These shelters will run four to seven nights, based on use, staffed by National Guard members, contracted medical professionals and security personnel. The shelters are open in Berlin, Brattleboro, Burlington, and Rutland.
Locations:
- Berlin – 190 Junction Road (ANR Annex)
- Brattleboro – Former VT Yankee administrative building, next door to the Windham County Sherrif’s Department
- Burlington – 108 Cherry Street (former Health Department offices)
- Rutland – 88 Merchants Row (Asa Bloomer Building)
In brief:
- Four, short-term transitional shelters operating up to seven days
- Open from 7pm to 7am; individuals must arrive before 11pm
- Individuals may bring in only minimal personal items; weapons are strictly prohibited
- Substance use in or around the facilities is prohibited
- Staffed by National Guard, medical personnel and security staff
State officials said these shelters provide a safe place to sleep for individuals who are not still eligible for General Assistance Emergency Housing exiting hotels, to allow more transition time for individuals to find alternative housing or shelter if they have not yet done so, and to connect them with local services (substance use, mental health, primary care, etc.) to help support them in this transition. The State estimated a maximum of 500 individuals who might access these shelter options.
Each shelter has a location outside the shelter space for individuals to connect with service providers. Community service providers have been invited to work with people using the shelter to help them connect to Coordinated Entry, housing case management, healthcare, mental health services, and substance use services. This outreach will occur as individuals exit the shelter each morning.
These short-term transitional shelters create a ramp for those not eligible for General Assistance Emergency Housing to transition if they have not made alternative plans to date. It is short-term and not a new medium-term shelter option, officials said.
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Categories: Housing, State Government
when these people were hanging out in their 50,000.00 dollar a year room, did they do any thing to better themselves in their spare time/// no/// they are not going to/// they have no pride in themselves and are being used by the political hacks running this state/// it is time to unload this state building being supported by the vermont tax payer///
another question/// when did the state buy the land and or building and who did they buy it from////
I am tempted to conclude that only a small percentage of the folks previously in hotels prefer a secure and drug free environment to living exposed and vulnerable. If true we are doing them a disservice and not wisely using our resources to lift them up.
Seems to me the conclusion points to the possibility the state is better at enabling than lifting up.
As parents, we graduate our children from diapers to training pants to the toilet, so they can increase their independence, grow up, and move out in the world.
Something for the state to consider. There will always be folks who need some help during tough times, but infantalizing them, and fostering dependence on the state isn’t very helpful to them or society.
The default option IS to treat them as if they were infants. This way the politicians can justify sending your money to their friends. The “non profits”, the real estate developers and the “social care” apparatchiks.
And the incentive system works. We spend more money on “supporting” non tax-paying drug addicts than ever. And we have more non tax-paying drug addicts than ever.
If politicians want to provide social services at ever greater rates they should stop demanding that taxpayers money is used to pay. They should pay for it themselves.
We are infested with leeches, that’s the bottom line. I don’t care where you go, all you see are signs ” we are hiring “, but these leeches want no responsibility just handouts, all they need is money for drugs or booze.
Vermont’s bleeding hearts think they are helping, they are just promoting their actions………….these moral-less souls, crimes up, drug use up. So where did they come from ??, and why are they here………………. handouts, free and easy !!
Wake up, people
I think the word being sought here is ENABLING. If someone has a serious substance addiction and an otherwise expensive service is being given to them for FREE, that will free up their financial resources to sooth their jones. For a serious junkie, ANY money they get will be spent primarily on their addiction.
The only issue I see with this shelter option is where can a person safely store their excess personal belongings and firearms?
Having had my vehicles ransacked twice during the recent “Vermont Homeless Tourists’ Season” I fervently hope now that these made believe Vermonters will return to the states they came from; those states that didn’t offer an all expenses paid fall-winter-spring vacation (paid for by Vermont’s over taxed taxpayers), and stay there.
That would hopefully negate the need to pay outlandish amounts of money to greedy motel owners, to house a bunch of out of state freeloaders. My new barking dog and I will handle our own homestead security. I rather hope that the local and state constabulary will handle everything else for the “summer tourist season…”