by Martha Hafner

The following letter was sent to Vermont legislators. The author is not speaking directly for the Habitat for Humanity organization, but from her extensive experience as a HFH volunteer – editor.

I’ve long been engaged in affordable housing concerns. I helped start three Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Michigan and worked closely with the HFH State Director. Not only was I fundraising chair for 12 houses in 6 years, I was also editor of State and Regional newsletters. 

That is why I was eager to explore homeless housing needs with the Conestoga Units at the outset of Covid, which interested Simon Dennis of Hartford, who had been experimenting with homeless housing designs, too.  He motivated his crew, and a Conestoga unit went up in Vermont in a day after some work during the week before prepping the flooring and doorway panels. Becca White was involved as the next stage evolved and researched the regs on plumbing matters. Thereafter units were put on a trailer base that met requirements to be an RV.  

Granted the units I’m talking about with these microdwelling pictures – are small. They have a space for a safe bed to sleep on and space underneath for storing some belongings and are lockable.  Settings that already provide homeless housing might easily welcome 1-5 micro dwelling units in nearby empty parking lots. Capstone could use these units in emergency situations with domestic violence concerns and could be moved around within a county where needed.  

In Eugene, Oregon, the Community Supported Shelters uses the Conestoga design in 3 clusters of homeless people – one for Veterans, one for disabled, and one for drug rehab. They make it a goal to move people along with human service groups’ assistance and getting them into long term housing situations with a stable income. These units cost about $2500. The RV units would likely cost $6K – post Covid pricing with the cost of a trailer, sheet metal siding/roofing, and sheetrock. The Conestoga unit has experienced 5 Vermont winters and was snug and warm at 68 degrees one -22-degree day, and it only cost $50/month to heat with a small diesel generator. 

Also of importance in this discussion is that mobile home settings don’t begin to cost $500K multi-dwelling units that some in the legislature have been promoting.  Also mother-in-law units built above garages, as a side or even separate unit can provide income for a family having trouble meeting their mortgage and could stabilize them as well as someone only able to afford a modestly priced rental unit like an in-law apartment. 

Might this be a bartering chip to allocate enough say $10-20M for 100-250 at roughly $5K in supplies for each of these trailer dwellings for Capstone, Veteran facilities, Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness and other shelter concern groups to manage, and enough for 50-100 ($20k-40K each for supplies) in-law apartment units to be built. 

I’d encourage HFH sweat equity plans to help with labor costs. It doesn’t cover everyone, but some will find sofas, some will find places to take them in. It also isn’t continuing to sink money into the hotel program where we have nothing to show for the $45M/year we have been expending.  Perhaps there could be a blitz build effort like Jimmy Carter did with Habitat for Humanity.  I have discussed this with some HFH affiliates of Vermont. 

Here’s to passing the budget, and here’s to taking care of some of our homeless needs, here’s to Freedom and Unity.