Youth warn lawmakers, Gov. Scott of impending ‘humanitarian crisis’

Opinion

Jun 30

June 30, 2021 | Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network, et al

Editor’s Note: The following two letters were submitted by the same group of signers, one directed to state lawmakers and the other addressed to Gov. Phil Scott regarding the motel program that’s housed homeless Vermonters through the COVID-19 pandemic that is set to end July 1.

Hello legislators,

We are high school students from around Vermont writing about the motel program, which is ending for 700 Vermonters tomorrow, July 1st. We are very concerned about this humanitarian crisis as the motel program transitions, and we lament the ending of such comprehensive and caring government solutions to homelessness during COVID. Vermont has fought the battle so well against COVID and in supporting homeless neighbors; now we are leaving homeless people out on the battlefield.

With this in mind, we are writing to ask that you advocate for Governor Scott to extend the motel program for homeless Vermonters. This could not only prevent our neighbors from resigning to tent camps, but it could help Vermont become one step closer to ending the homelessness pandemic in the long run. We know you all are super passionate about finding more housing in our state and spending money to keep people more permanently housed, and so we ask you to call Governor Scott directly today and ask him to extend the motel program for all until a majority of individuals in the motels can transition to housing.

The motel program obviously can’t last forever; but continuing it a little longer is extremely beneficial. When the legislature meets again, we hope you might spend money to allocate to individual towns to build and find housing, as well as funding social workers for all. (Salt Lake City Utah, for example, used this model of ‘housing first’ and providing social workers for all, and they got homeless down to a statistical 0.) If everyone had a skilled social worker assigned to them, it could help more people transition safely and comfortably into the housing being built. Each town could use the money you provide for affordable housing and social workers to ramp up their programs and transition everyone from motels directly to housing. Only by having all people in motels can this program be a success at ending homelessness. Everyone in motels is already connected with services with a roof over their heads, ready to transition into a more permanent apartment as soon as it becomes available. Keeping people in motels will allow Vermont to keep track of them and organize case workers to move people to housing. Having people on the streets makes ending homelessness lightyears harder.

Other possible solutions and techniques to ending homelessness:

—Amending Act 250 to make it easier to build houses in downtown areas

—Building tiny homes such as Geoship (www.geoship.is)

—Creating mental health caravans (Homeless Outreach Teams) in different communities to support people experiencing homelessness

Plus, keeping people in motels for now is the socially responsible action to take; it will protect the most vulnerable Vermonters and their mental, emotional, and physical health. In making solving homelessness an easier and quicker process, utilizing the motels for a little while longer also saves money in the long run; money that would otherwise be spent on shelters, mobile showers, food banks, and other band-aid solutions. Vermont has an opportunity here; let’s not lose it.

We hope you will take this opportunity to take action on this important issue now by calling Governor Scott directly today to tell him to extend the motel program for all.

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

Rep. Michelle Bos-Lun, D-Westminster

Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network

Fife and Drum Motel, Bennington

Students and future voters of Vermont:

Addie Lentzner — Governor’s Institute of VT

Grace Marroquin — Governor’s Institute of VT

Lydia Beaulieu — Governor’s Institute of VT

Marlayna King — Governor’s Institute of VT

Fen Jagoda — Governor’s Institute of VT

Ava White — Governor’s Institute of VT

Acadia Cook — Governor’s Institute of VT

Madeleine Thaxton — Governor’s Institute of VT

Ross Cagenello — Governor’s Institute of VT

Elias Poling — Governor’s Institute of VT

Meg Maclaury — Governor’s Institute of VT

Eliza Stearns — Governor’s Institute of VT

Allie Brooks — Governor’s Institute of VT

Erica Jansch — Governor’s Institute of VT

Minelle Sarfo-adu — Governor’s Institute of VT

Sydney Feltz

Olivia Miller

Jenna Hirschman

Lisa Plum

Ciera Fiaschetti

Ella Saccio

Grace Waryas

Sadie Lentzner

Evelyn Monje

Jolyn Fang

Avi Hayon

Brendan McLoughlin

Olivia Brand

Sally Zuk

Luna Holmes

Emma Hoover

Rachel Ledoux

Maggie Spiegel

Dylan Berres

Diya

Cass Pickering

Aidan Forrest

Mason Remington

Ashley Fox

Iris Hsiang

Quinnlan Steele

Sheila Jansch

Mia Ponessi

Liz

Kyrrah Maynard

Nicole Schubert

Emma Jansch

Kiran Park

Isabella Ingegneri

Abby Sekora

Ella Maguire

Renee Peterson

Jay Leuschner

kylie begnoche

Rhea Veerareddy

Lottie Fischer

Tracy Joosten

jeremiah schotter

Katherine Hashem

Lucy Gates

Avery Prouty

Eva Keely

Nisha Hickock

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Gov. Scott,

We are high school students from around Vermont writing about the motel program, which is ending for 700 Vermonters tomorrow, July 1st. We are very concerned about the humanitarian crisis and lament the ending of such comprehensive and caring government solutions to homelessness during COVID. Vermont has fought the battle so well against COVID and in supporting homeless neighbors; now we are leaving homeless people out on the battlefield.

With this in mind, we are asking you to give an executive order to continue the motel program and continue eviction protection. With people sheltered in motels, it will be so much easier to end homelessness in our state. Everyone will be traceable inside motels and homes, so VT can provide social workers and housing for everyone who wants it. With people on the streets, it will be very difficult to help people transition into housing. It will be almost impossible to end homelessness in Vermont.

And ending homelessness is beneficial to our whole state. Without homelessness, our communities will thrive and we will no longer have people living on our park benches. Ending homelessness saves money, too. Outrageous sums of money are spent on shelters and other temporary solutions right now; but if we are courageous enough to continue housing people in motels until permanent housing is found for everyone, we will save so much money in the long run.

Thank you for your consideration. We hope you will use your power to employ an executive order to continue the motel system for all experiencing homelessness, continue providing eviction protections, and in turn end homelessness.