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Burlington chief of staff details municipal expenses, staffing limits, and pod program role
Summary
Erin Jacobson, chief of staff to the mayor of Burlington, described an emergency response and estimated municipal spending of $6.3 million through three quarters of 2024 (projected to $8 million by year-end) to address unsheltered homelessness; she said pods and faith-based efforts provide important capacity but face staffing challenges and need state support.
Erin Jacobson, chief of staff to the mayor of Burlington, told the committee Burlington convened an emergency meeting in late December that brought together service providers, city officials, law enforcement, medical providers, faith leaders and legislators to discuss acute winter homelessness needs. She said the city subsequently tried to stand up additional shelter space in faith facilities but ran into problems staffing those operations safely.
Jacobson provided a city estimate of expenditures directed at unsheltered homelessness: about $6.3 million through three quarters of 2024, projecting approximately $8 million by the end of that year. She said the departments with the largest direct costs were public works, parks, the library, police and fire, with the fire department alone accounting for roughly $5 million by year-end 2024 in responses and related expenditures.
Jacobson also described Burlington's "pod" program, begun during the COVID period and operated collaboratively (the transcript names CHT as a partner). She said pods were intended to be transitional but have in many cases become longer-term placements because of insufficient permanent supportive housing to move people onward. "The best day to plant a tree was 10 years ago. The second best is today," she said, urging the committee to consider more sustained investment so municipalities are not left to cover recurring costs.
She urged the committee to include direct municipal support in the bill framework where appropriate, noting that Burlington currently receives mostly pass-through funds from CVOEO for emergency shelter costs rather than direct state support.
