On Homelessness Awareness Day, the Addison County Housing Coalition calls for urgent and unified action to address the state’s growing housing and homelessness crisis. With nearly 5,000 Vermonters, including at least 150 of our neighbors in Addison County, experiencing homelessness, the crisis is deepening—and the time to act is now.
Addison County’s action will include a gathering on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, from 7:45am to 1:30pm on the Middlebury Green. A flag demonstration will honor the children, adults, and elders currently unhoused in Addison County. All are invited to attend.
"This is a humanitarian crisis that demands both compassion and urgency," said Susan Whitmore, Addison County Housing Coalition Chair and John Graham Housing & Services Executive Director. "We need long-term solutions, not short-term fixes. Vermont has the resources—we need the political will."
Vermont ranks fourth in the nation for homelessness per capita. Meanwhile, rising rents and deteriorating housing conditions have made hundreds of rental housing vouchers unusable. At the same time, the state needs an estimated 24,000 to 36,000 new year-round homes by 2029 to meet current and projected needs, with at least 3,295 dedicated to ending homelessness.
We urge our state legislators and the Governor to support three critical investments this legislative session:
- Expand Affordable Housing Production: Invest $25 million in the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board to continue the development of affordable housing units.
- Invest in Homelessness Prevention: Allocate $3.75 million to fund 33 critical case management funded positions that, without state action, will go away in June when federal ERAP dollars run out, ensuring continued support for individuals at risk of homelessness.
- Ensure Emergency Shelter: Provide $44.6 million to maintain General Assistance Emergency Housing for our most vulnerable neighbors, including seniors and families with children. Without these funds, our state’s solution will be to send seniors and families with children into the streets and woods to live.
“As we observe Homelessness Awareness Day, let us remember that behind every statistic is a human being - a neighbor, a friend, a fellow Vermonter,” said Heidi Lacey, Charter House Coalition Executive Director and Addison County Coordinated Entry Head. “We have the power and the responsibility to ensure that everyone has a safe and appropriate place to call home.”
Investing in housing is not only morally right but also economically smart. The cost of emergency services, health care, and lost productivity from homelessness far exceeds the cost of providing permanent housing and support.
"We cannot build a resilient Vermont without solving the housing crisis," said Mark Demers, Addison Community Action Associate Director. "These are not partisan issues—these are Vermont issues. We must act together."
As advocates, lawmakers, and residents gather at the State House and in Middlebury today, we encourage every Vermonter to support policies that ensure all Vermonters have safe and appropriate housing.
