FUND UNCONDITIONAL EMERGENCY HOUSING IN VERMONT

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The people of Vermont want the best for our neighbors and our communities. Increasingly, those values are being undermined by the senseless actions of our governor.

On March 15, the Scott administration forcibly un-sheltered roughly 500 Vermonters, who had been living in emergency motel housing despite the legislature's approval of a bill on March 1 that would have kept most of these people in state-paid motel rooms.

This was done with little to no communication about the expanded eligibility requirements the legislature had enacted, and without enough time to complete paperwork attesting to their eligibility to stay in the program – paperwork that was yet another unnecessary barrier added by the administration at the eleventh hour.

Despite all that, the Scott administration made the cynical claim that it was helping unhoused people through the “unprecedented step” of providing four, short-term, overnight congregate shelters. But these barren "shelters" were haphazardly appointed, remotely located, and in one case lacked indoor bathroom facilities.

Unsurprisingly, they were barely used; at one location, not a single person showed up.

VTDigger reported that the State spent approximately $50,000 per night to operate four of these underused facilities, whereas allowing people to remain in the motels, where they had stable housing, would have cost significantly less: roughly $36,000 per night for all the 458 households expected to lose their vouchers last Friday.

Beyond being an affront to human dignity, and a callous response to the needs of unhoused people in our community, the administration's hasty actions cost Vermont more money – epitomizing the inefficiency and ineptitude of the Scott administration's response to homelessness in Vermont. When questioned at a press conference, the governor said merely, "We didn't have to do anything."" When it comes to helping our most vulnerable neighbors, most Vermonters would disagree.

Make no mistake: This was a calculated decision by Governor Scott to put many of our most vulnerable neighbors in harm's way – and we don't have to accept it.

Please contact the governor today and call on him to support unconditional emergency housing for everyone who needs it.

Recipient:
Governor Scott

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I write today to urge you to ensure that emergency housing remains funded and accessible to anyone who needs it.

The people of Vermont want the best for our neighbors and our communities. Increasingly, those values are being undermined by your administration's unnecessary un-sheltering of hundreds of the state's most vulnerable individuals – including many with disabilities.

Message Body

The people of Vermont broadly agree we need humane, long-term solutions to the state’s housing crisis—and continued funding of emergency housing in the meantime. Please commit to keeping our neighbors safely sheltered by prioritizing funding and administrative procedures that ensure unconditional emergency housing in Vermont.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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FUND UNCONDITIONAL EMERGENCY HOUSING IN VERMONT

Act Now

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