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Presenters warn rising homelessness and steep rents as state looks to target Consolidated Plan funds
Summary
At the St. Johnsbury outreach meeting, presenters highlighted sharply rising homelessness in the region, strong renter cost burdens and program strategies (repairs, supportive housing, rental registry proposals); local counts show a recent jump in street homelessness.
Speakers at the St. Johnsbury Consolidated Plan outreach meeting emphasized an urgent local need: rising homelessness and widespread housing cost burdens among renters.
Regional counts and services: presenters said mini point‑in‑time surveys show a marked increase in visible homelessness; one presentation noted St. Johnsbury has "just shy of 100 individuals" experiencing street homelessness, and Newport about 65—figures that officials described as a sharp rise from past years. Officials linked the rise to both housing affordability pressures and limited shelter capacity.
Data and affordability: presenters walked through community profile data drawn from the Vermont Housing Finance Agency and other sources showing median household income and the hourly wages needed to afford two‑bedroom apartments in 2023. The meeting highlighted that many renter households are cost‑burdened (spending over 30% of income on housing) and that a large share pay more than 50% of income on housing, creating acute need for affordable units and subsidies.
Programs and interventions: speakers recommended multiple strategies funded through HUD programs and state resources: deepening subsidies in HTF‑supported projects, using HOME/HUB funds for affordable development, supporting home repair programs like the Northeast Kingdom home repair program operated by Rural Edge, and continuing VHIP rehabilitation efforts that have returned deteriorated units to service. Attendees discussed local policy options—short‑term rental rules and local surcharges that some towns use to create municipal housing trust funds—and noted a statewide rental registry has been proposed to improve oversight of privately‑owned rentals.
Budget and next steps: presenters stressed that the Consolidated Plan and annual action plans will shape where federal and state dollars flow, and urged residents and stakeholders to complete the online survey and submit comments during the public‑review period. Officials also announced forthcoming disaster recovery guidance and said the state expects a sizable disaster recovery allocation; outreach and an action plan will follow federal guidance.
The session concluded with an invitation to continue submitting written comment and to attend upcoming regional meetings as the draft Consolidated Plan is finalized.
