Leaders Call for Immediate Lifesaving Intervention To Prevent Death Due to Cold Exposure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 24, 2024

On Christmas Eve, Leaders Call for Immediate Lifesaving Intervention To Prevent Death Due to Cold Exposure

State leaders must take immediate action to support the rapid creation of additional shelter capacity and prevent deaths due to cold exposure.

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Today, the City of Burlington, Champlain Housing Trust, CVOEO, Vermont Interfaith Action, and the University of Vermont Medical Center called upon State leaders to take immediate action to support the rapid creation of additional shelter capacity and prevent deaths due to cold exposure.

On the evenings of Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22 the City of Burlington with the support of the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) operated an emergency cold weather shelter at the Robert Miller Center. The shelter served 50 individuals on Saturday evening, and 80 on Sunday evening. The shelter was staffed by personnel from the City and service organizations, with most staff working volunteer overtime.

The City acted quickly to open the emergency cold weather shelter based on a number of factors, including:

• Estimates indicating upwards of 250 people sleeping unsheltered in our region, with many rough sleeping;
• Efforts to stand up additional low barrier shelter have been delayed until January 15 (COTS, 30 beds), and February 1 (CVOEO, 30 beds);
• The State-run motel program is at capacity with no rooms available in the entire state, leaving upwards of 350 eligible households unable to access a room.

Many shelter guests presented with extremely acute needs, highlighting the harmful lack of specialized housing and shelter. We urgently need additional capacity for residential treatment for substance use disorder, mental health care, and medical respite.

The City of Burlington, Champlain Housing Trust, CVOEO, the University of Vermont Medical Center and other service organizations continue to expend considerable financial and staff resources to support those experiencing homelessness. We collectively recognize the acute need for shelter in our state, yet we do not have the capacity to meet the need under current conditions.

Our region is experiencing a predictable and preventable public health emergency. Without immediate action from State leaders, more people will die due to cold exposure. No one municipality, service organization, or faith community can meet these needs alone. Now is the time for collective action to save lives.