Latest HHAV & VT BoS CoC News - Housing & Homelessness Alliance of Vermont

Report: Emergency Housing Costs Unsustainable

The Vermont Agency of Human Services recently released a biannual report on the General Assistance Emergency Housing Program. Below is an article from the Burlington Free Press on how the report shows that the current cost of the program is unsustainable and what improvements may be made in the future: The cost of Vermont’s emergency …

Low-Income Vermonters with Disabilities Sue State Over Benefit Cuts

Low-income Vermonters with disabilities are fighting back against state mandated reductions to their household Reach Up benefits. Vermont Legal Aid filed a class action lawsuit in federal court today on behalf of affected Vermonters alleging that a new law is unconstitutional and discriminates against households with family members with a disabling condition. The new law …

State Moves to End Family Homelessness By 2020

VT Digger discusses the progress being made on the plan to end family and child homelessness in Vermont by 2020. The plan, which was announced earlier in the year by Governor Shumlin, is also part of a national goal established by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness: Vermont is rolling out an initiative to …

SAMHSA Guilde on Homeless Resources

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration issued a new guide detailing strategies that can help providers connect the homeless to Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Benefits. There’s a emphasis on collaboration between community providers and federal agencies. The strategies focus on assisting individuals experiencing homelessness with the initial disability application and …

Webinar Recording Now Available – Vermont CoCs Prepare for the NOFA

A recording of the Vermont CoCs Prepare for the NOFA webinar is now available. The webinar, presented by Marcy Krumbine Esbjerg, CEDO, Chittenden CoC Collaborative Applicant and Daniel Blankenship, VSHA, Balance of State CoC Collaborative Applicant, contains information and answers to questions on the expected CoC NOFA from HUD, including options for reallocating or retooling …

St. Johnsbury Officials Consider Warming Shelter

VT Digger reports on current efforts being made to open a winter warming shelter in St. Johnsbury. Below is an excerpt from the article: A local steering committee hopes to open a winter warming shelter in St. Johnsbury to house up to 10 homeless people in time for the next cold season. Organizers are looking …