Shelter and housing groups ask Senate for targeted homelessness and housing operating funds

Community action agencies, homeless service providers and local charities told the Vermont Senate Health & Welfare Committee they need targeted ongoing funding to prevent shelter closures and preserve critical housing navigation services.

Allison Calderer of Capstone Community Action requested $6.025 million to the agency’s Housing Opportunity Program to expand family voucher assistance, extend pandemic-era ERAP supports used for emergency rental assistance and to add staff for housing navigation and transitional housing. Calderer said extending vouchers from two years to three would give families more time to improve economic stability; last year the program fielded 434 applications.

Paul Dragon, executive director of Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, said his Burlington Community Resource Center (CRC) served 3,100 unique people in 2024 and at times more than 200 people per day. He asked the Senate to appropriate $550,000 annually to operate the CRC, warning that “we will close as of July 1” without the funds.

Senators asked whether requests overlap with H.91 and other House proposals; committee staff said some items are in the House fiscal plan while others would require new appropriations. Witnesses were asked to provide written cost sheets and spreadsheets to help appropriators reconcile requests.

Speakers also noted that ERAP and other pandemic-era, one-time funds are ending; agencies said that losing those streams will force staff reductions and threaten coordinated entry positions and other essential supports. The committee’s staff said it will compile the testimony and related written materials for the Appropriations Committee as it refines priorities.