Witnesses urge passage of H.91 after testimony on emergency temporary shelter

Montpelier — The House Human Services Committee heard testimony on H.91, an act relating to emergency temporary shelter, as leaders from Vermont Interfaith Action and people with lived experience described gaps in current motel and volunteer-run shelter programs and urged lawmakers to approve a service‑integrated approach to interim shelter.

Supporters told the committee the bill represents a first step toward eliminating unsheltered homelessness and requested stable, on-site case management and low‑barrier options so people can access services while sheltered. Tom Morgan, a Champlain Valley Unitarian Universalist Society representative to the Vermont Interfaith Action Network, said, “Let’s get House Bill 91 passed and then get to work on designing and implementing a comprehensive plan to end chronic homelessness in Vermont.”

Those who testified described emergency responses that rely heavily on volunteers and short hotel stays. A Vermont Interfaith Action organizer said churches in…