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New Alliance director urges base funding for VHCB, VHIP, and voucher protections
Summary
New Housing & Homelessness Alliance director Chad Simmons told the committee the alliance supports continued investment in VHCB, VHIP, rental vouchers and services to prevent and end homelessness, and flagged interest in tenant representation and anti‑criminalization measures.
Chad Simmons, on his fourth day as executive director of the Housing & Homelessness Alliance of Vermont, told the Committee on General & Housing that the Alliance will press this session for sustained investments across three pillars: capital for housing development, rental assistance (vouchers) and services to keep people housed.
"The balance of state continuum of care is a significant part of our housing continuum," Simmons said, describing the Alliance's HUD‑designated role in coordinating Continuum of Care funding and local housing coalitions. He said members include nonprofit providers, housing authorities and service organizations.
Priority funding and programs
Simmons identified the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) and the Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP) as central to preserving and producing affordable homes. He said the Alliance supports VHCB and is seeking additional one‑time funding for perpetually affordable housing, and that the Alliance is open to proposals to baseline VHIP if affordability requirements are assured.
On rental assistance, Simmons strongly backed the Vermont State Housing Authority's voucher contingency fund and cited small voucher programs operated by community action agencies that place families experiencing homelessness into housing. He stressed the risk of a downward funding spiral tied to HUD's allocation formula, which measures voucher months in use.
Simmons also said the Alliance opposes criminalization of homelessness and prefers restorative, service‑oriented approaches. He told legislators the Alliance will review bills aimed at limiting criminal penalties for people experiencing homelessness.
Questions & follow‑up
Committee members asked whether state programs serve only Vermont domiciliaries; Simmons said the Alliance focuses on serving people in Vermont but noted limited data suggested inflows from out of state were minimal. He also acknowledged gaps in Vermont‑specific data on the total fiscal cost of homelessness (public health, policing, family services) and offered to follow up.
The Alliance did not ask the committee for immediate votes at the hearing; Simmons said the group will evaluate bills and endorse measures through the session.
