Municipal leaders, police and housing providers tell committee Vermont's homelessness response is fragmented and under-resourced

Municipal officials, police and nonprofit housing providers told a legislative committee during testimony on H.91 that Vermont's system for responding to homelessness is fragmented, under-resourced and in need of structural changes.

Chief Maureen Hardy, Brattleboro police chief and interim emergency management director, said Brattleboro faces repeated gaps in shelter and service capacity and urged more tailored supports for different groups, including families, older Vermonters, veterans and people with disabilities. "I feel like they don't have the capacity," Hardy said of many older adults who fear losing services. "They don't have any hope."

The Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT), represented by Josh Hanford, director of intergovernmental relations, and Samantha Sheehan, municipal policy and advocacy specialist, told the committee municipalities are bearing uncompensated costs and risks when local governments are asked to respond to unsheltered homelessness. VLCT recommended the state lead on shelter provision, expand field-based services and invest in stabilization beds and longer-term housing supply. "Municipalities should not be shelter providers," Hanford said. "They are a partner, but not the primary shelter provider."

Chris Donnelly of Champlain Housing Trust described his group's work operating motel rooms and creating community-based shelter and housing. Donnelly said Champlain Housing Trust will have a little over 200 motel rooms online and is building or renovating hundreds of housing units, but financing remains the limiting factor.…