CVOEO is Calling for the Reinstatement of the Emergency Shelter Program

CVOEO is calling for the immediate reinstatement of the emergency shelter program. During the past few days our staff have been purchasing tents, sleeping bags, and supplies for families with children being exited from the hotels. Some of the children have disabilities including autism. Think about that.

We have become accustomed to adults being unsheltered. For example, we are now providing services for up to 200 people per day at our Community Resource Center in Burlington. We have also witnessed unsheltered children before, but not by the dozens and we are not equipped to support all the people in need.

We think everyone deserves shelter, especially people with disabilities, the elderly, and especially children. We know from well-established research that children who experience even short-term periods of homelessness are more likely to become homeless as adults and will suffer serious educational setbacks. We know what COVID did to educational delays so just imagine the impact of homelessness.

If reinstating the hotel program is no longer possible due to room shortage, than the State, including the Agency of Human Services and the Agency of Education, should establish temporary shelters and deploy state employees as we do during public emergencies. Alternatively, the State should hire temporary employees or contracted staff, including child development specialists to operate the shelters. Nonprofit organizations that are already stretched to the limit can play an important supporting role for these shelters.

CVOEO operates the statewide HOME Program, which provides rapid rehousing vouchers to unhoused families. We, along with our partners statewide, have housed close to 140 families over the past 18 months. That is good, but we have many more families waiting because there is simply not enough affordable housing. How can we fault people when there is not enough housing?

All homelessness is a tragedy and a failure of our moral and political will. Our children deserve better.

A statement from Paul Dragon, Executive Director, CVOEO.