(802) 651-8889, 152 Pearl St, Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 651-8889, 152 Pearl St, Burlington, VT 05401
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Vermonters Need Continuous Shelter
CALL TO ACTION:
On March 14th, 2025 Gov. Scott vetoed the Budget Adjustment Act citing “Expanding the free ‘hotel/motel program,’ moves us backwards, reversing important progress made towards reforming this failed program, agreed upon by the Administration and Legislature just last year. After nearly five years of experience, we know this approach is far too expensive and fails our constituents, communities and taxpayers.”
Governor Scott is abdicating his responsibility and trying to put the issues of homelessness to someone else. The Scott Administration has had years to develop an exit strategy to safely and with dignity move folks from shelter in the “hotel/motel program” to housing or if needed shelter elsewhere - it was not someone else’s job to do this. He is the governor and works year round. This program lives in the Department of Children and Families within the Agency of Human
Service which he appoints a commissioner for and oversees.
The failure that exists here is a failure of leadership on the part of Governor Scott. The Scott Administration has fallen into the same mindset that we see coming out of the Christian Nationalist thinking - that poverty is a moral failing. VIA pushes back and says that rather it is a moral failing to not take responsibility for our most vulnerable Vermonters.
Towns and cities cannot afford to take on this burden. Our faith communities, though they made a valiant effort this past winter, cannot afford to take on this burden. But that is whom the governor would like to see take responsibilities for our neighbors. The individuals whom Governor Scott would like to see exited from hotels and motels beginning on April 1st are individuals who have already met strict criteria to be admitted - veterans, the elderly, pregnant women, families with school aged children, the disabled. We are talking about the most vulnerable of the vulnerable.
So we need you to contact Governor Phil Scott at 802-828-3333 and ask him to sign H.489 as soon as it hits his desk and show dignity to all Vermonters.
~Affordable Housing & Homelessness statewide organizing committee
Updates from Bennington Organizing Action
UPDATE! Nearly a year from when BOA held their first action, leader Wendy Lyons and VIA staff Martha Mackey present the updated Local Emergency Management Plan (LEMP) to the Bennington Selectboard. "The plan includes heat index thresholds for plan activation, means of communication with the public, community cooling facilities, a regional response plan for those needing extra assistance, an emergency personnel mobilization plan, coordination with utilities, and more." Find the full story here.
From 2024:
The local chapter of Vermont Interfaith Action, Bennington Organizing and Action (BOA), held a Public Action for Severe Weather Preparedness April 14th, 2024. The leaders of BOA have been researching shelter options for the Bennington area for the last 8 months. At the public action, they presented their research on the town's Local Emergency Management Plan and made several requests of public officials for improvements to be made to the plan. These requests included changes such as activation of the plan any time there is extreme heat or cold, as well as the identification of a downtown overnight shelter. The focus of the action was on ensuring that the needs of our most vulnerable populations are considered when planning for emergencies.
The research was well-received by the public in attendance and the elected officials present agreed to the majority of the requests.
The following week, the Bennington Select Board included the Local Emergency Management Plan on the agenda as well as the research report presented by BOA. The board ultimately agreed to all of BOA's requests and committed to making sure the changes are made in the next two months.
This was a huge first success for BOA and we're excited to see what comes next!