Vermont Housing Alliance highlights record homelessness crisis and calls for urgent solutions

The Vermont Senate Economic Development meeting on January 24, 2025, focused on critical issues surrounding housing and homelessness in the state. Frank Kinak, representing the Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont (HHAV), provided testimony highlighting the ongoing challenges and systemic gaps in the state's response to homelessness.

Kinak explained that HHAV is a statewide advocacy organization formed from the merger of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition and the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness. The organization plays a dual role: advocating for policy changes and serving as a collaborative applicant for the state's homelessness response system, known as the Continuum of Care (CoC). Vermont has two CoCs, one for Chittenden County and another for the remaining counties.

During his testimony, Kinak emphasized the importance of a coordinated entry system that helps identify individuals at risk of homelessness and triages them into appropriate services. However, he noted significant gaps in capacity, particularly in case management and affordable housing units, which hinder the effectiveness of the system. This lack of resources leads to backlogs and delays in providing necessary support to those in need.

Kinak also referenced the annual point-in-time count, which assesses the number of unhoused individuals in Vermont. The most recent count, conducted on January 22, revealed approximately 3,510 unhoused individuals, marking a record high. This figure includes 737 children and highlights the urgent need for increased shelter capacity and supportive services.

The meeting underscored the pressing need for comprehensive strategies to address homelessness in Vermont, as Kinak called for enhanced collaboration and resource allocation to improve the state's response. The data from the point-in-time count will be further analyzed, with a report expected in the spring, which may provide additional insights into the scope of homelessness in the state and inform future policy decisions.