Archived Video: Municipal Leaders Call for Immediate Action To Address the Homelessness Crisis (9/18/2024)

Updated 4x (view updates below, updated press coverage & informational resources; + another VPO blog post link; + ACLU Letter; last updated on 9/20/2024 at 5:30 AM):

Archived Video: Municipal Leaders Call for Immediate Action To Address the Homelessness Crisis (held on 9/18/2024 at 10:00 AM; length: 45:33 minutes/seconds; via ORCA Media):

Related Press Release:

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Municipal Leaders Call on the State to Take Immediate Action to Address Homelessness Crisis 

WHERE/WHEN: Wednesday, September 18th, 10:00am, City Council Chambers, Montpelier City Hall, 39 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602

Contact:

William Fraser, Montpelier City Manager

39 Main Street

Montpelier, Vermont

802-223-9502

WFraser@montpelier-vt.org

MONTPELIER, VT—Municipal leaders from across Vermont to call on all three branches of State government to take charge of the growing homelessness crisis and assume their legal responsibilities for the un-housed. 

“We stand together representing a group of local governments who are overwhelmed by Vermont’s homelessness crisis. We need immediate and decisive action from all three branches of State government – executive, legislative, and judicial,” said Montpelier City Manager Bill Fraser.

In 2020, Vermont reported 1,110 people were unhoused. That number is now to 3,458 and Vermont has reported the second highest rate of Homelessness in the country. The statewide usage of General Assistance motel/hotel rooms has also grown exponentially since 2020, but the number of available rooms is being reduced to 1,100.  

While municipalities understand the financial need to move away from hotel rooms, they have not seen adequate planning or preparation from the state in anticipation of these closures. This has caused unsustainable pressures on local communities, which are being exacerbated by the curtailing of the hotel program. 

Managing the impact of rising homelessness has fallen on the shoulders of local governments and local service providers. Municipalities do not have the capacity, the expertise, the resources, or the formal authority to address many of the associated problems.  

“Our first responders cannot keep up with the calls, our residents are reluctant to use public spaces, our limited staff are left cleaning up unsanitary messes, volunteers are exhausted, and our non-profit partners are at a break point.” City Manager Fraser added.    

At Wednesday’s press conference, municipal leaders throughout Vermont will call on State government to take immediate charge of this situation and assume their legal responsibilities to this population in need. 

“We are happy to work with state officials to find solutions and work through details,” Fraser added. “But right now, we need the State to take the lead role.” 

Respectfully submitted,

• William Fraser, Montpelier City Manager
  
• Jack McCullough, Montpelier Mayor
  
• Linda Sullivan, Newport Mayor
  
• Stuart Hurd, Bennington Town Manager
  
• Kristine Lott, Winooski Mayor
  
• Dominic Cloud, St. Albans City Manager
  
• Nicolas Storellicastro, Barre City Manager
  
• John Potter, Brattleboro Town Manager
  
• Matt Lawless, Shelburne Town Manager
  
• Chad Whitehead, St. Johnsbury Town Manager
  
• Jeff Mobus, Springfield Town Manager
  
• Mike Doenges, Rutland Mayor
  
• Ture Nelson, Town Administrator and Select Board Member, Berlin
  
• John Haverstock, Hartford Town Manager

Update 1: Press Coverage: 

• Associated Press (U.S. News), here;
• Times Argus, here;
• vtdigger, here;
• Seven Days, here;
• WPTZ - Channel 5 TV - News, here;
• WCAX - Channel 3 TV - News, here.

By the way, if you haven't already done so, make sure to read John Walters' most recent blog posts concerning these and related matters (via Vermont Political Observer: VPO), here and here.

In the afternoon, Governor Phil Scott (R-Vermont) held his weekly update press conference and, during it, was directly asked by a news reporter about these and related matters (question asked at about the 40:31 minute/second time mark):

Update 2: Informational Resources:

• End Homelessness Vermont;
• Housing & Homelessness Alliance of Vermont;
• Homeless Shelters, Emergency Housing and Help for People Who Are Homeless (via VT Law Help);

• Know Your Rights - Unsheltered in Vermont (via ACLU - VT; dated: 6/20/2023);

• Vermont Advocacy Resource Toolkit (speak out and make your voice heard).

Update 3: View ACLU Letter to Vermont Municipalities Urging Respect for Rights and Liberties of Unhoused Vermonters (via PDF), here.