For Immediate Release – May 21, 2019
Contact
Rebeka Lawrence-Gomez, rebeka@pathwaysvermont.org
Josh Davis, jdavis@groundworksvt.org
Margaret Bozik, Margaret.bozik@champlainhousingtrust.org
Travis Poulin, tpoulin@cvoeo.org
MONTPELIER, VT – 1,089 Vermonters experienced literal homelessness on a one-day count January 23, 2019, a decrease of 202 people, or 15.5% decrease compared to the 2018 one-day count. The 2019 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count Report, released on May 14, 2019 by the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness and the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance comes from data collected for the Annual Point-in-Time Count, an unduplicated count of persons experiencing literal homelessness on the Night of January 23, 2019. Each count throughout the state is planned, coordinated, and carried out locally with the support from the two federally-recognized Continua of Care (CoC): Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness and the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance.
People who experience homelessness in Vermont face complex challenges, which include and go beyond the unaffordability of housing. The Point-in-Time Count allows local communities and state policy makers to understand the current problems of homelessness, target limited funding to appropriate housing and services, and track progress towards ending and preventing homelessness.
Margaret Bozik, the director of asset management and special initiatives for the Champlain Housing Trust said that while progress had been made in recent years, it appears to have hit a wall. “As you keep more and more people housed, the need for services gets larger and larger,” she said. “You’re housing more and more people. You need more services to help the people you’ve already housed and you need services to support the people you are trying to get housed.” For more information on service needs, and Chittenden County specific Point-in-time: VtDigger Chittenden Point-in-Time
On April 18, 2019, Vermont State Housing Authority testified before the House Committee on Appropriations about this wall Vermont has hit in serving our most vulnerable homeless population. Lack of funding for services and case management has resulted in Vermont sending back HUD (Housing and Urban Development) rental assistance subsidies totaling well over $1,000,000 since 2012.
“HUD awards the rental subsidies based on support services being provided by local partners or from the States’ Child Welfare Program. These specialized vouchers cannot be used without the service supports/case management. Either the vouchers go unused or the money [for rental assistance] is returned to the Federal Government.” Richard Williams, Vermont State Housing Authority, Executive Director.
Point-in-Time Count Findings:
- A total of 772 households were counted, a decrease of 145 households or 16% from 2018.
- The number of unsheltered persons counted was 114, an increase of 32 persons or 39% from 2018.
- 245 were children under 18, representing 23% of the entire homeless population. Although this number decreased by 47 from 2018, the percent of the population has remained the same.
- Approximately 38% of households experiencing homelessness had at least one adult and one child; 62% were households with adults only; and about 0.5% were households with children only.
- 190 self-identified as chronically homeless in 2019, an increase of 37 persons or 24% from 2018.
- 351 persons (32% of total persons counted), reported having a severe mental illness, a 6% increase (21) from 2018.
- 201 persons (18.5% of total persons counted), reported having a substance use disorder, compared to 14.3% (185) in 2018 and 18.6% (228) in 2017.
- Veteran’s homelessness experienced a 19.5% decrease, with 87 persons counted. This is the lowest PIT number since 2011, which was 86.
- Persons currently fleeing domestic/sexual violence experienced a 19.5% decrease, with 133 persons counted.
Increased collaboration throughout Vermont has made an impact on both our ability to identify more individuals who are unsheltered during the Point-in-Time Count and decrease homelessness throughout the state.
Bennington County experienced a 21 person increase in unsheltered from 1 person to 22 persons;
“We collaborated with shelter guests to help us with community outreach by meeting people in various areas throughout town. We found this collaboration extremely valuable for this year’s Point-in-Time Count. They were responsible for Bennington’s 22 person unsheltered number.”
Chris Oldham, Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless, Executive Director.
Windsor County experienced a 34 person decrease in 2019 compared to 2018 and increased collaboration with New Hampshire is likely a contributor:
“I think a big help was the opening of Parkhurst in Lebanon, NH in August 2018. This helped us place 18 chronically homeless people from our community into supported housing.”
Renee Weeks, Upper Valley Haven, Director of Shelter & Clinical Services
Full Point-in-Time Report can be found at: https://helpingtohousevt.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2019-PIT-Report-FINAL.docx.pdf
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Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness
Mission: The Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness supports the work of local CoCs; connects them to a broader network of stakeholders; administers federal funds; and advocates for funding and policy changes so that people living in Vermont have a safe, stable, affordable home and if homelessness occurs it is a brief and rare occurrence during which everyone is treated with dignity and respect. For more information: www.helpingtohousevt.org
Chittenden County Homeless Alliance
The Chittenden County Homeless Alliance is a coalition of individuals, organizations, and government entities who support our vision of a safe, decent, affordable, stable home for every person and family in Chittenden County. Our mission is to end homelessness in Chittenden County by being a forum for gathering information, building consensus, coordinating efforts, and advocating the end of homelessness through prevention, early intervention, and
