Vermont H 938: An act relating to establishing the Vermont Homelessness Response Continuum

Bill Text

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No. 143. An act relating to establishing the Vermont Homelessness
Response Continuum.
(H.938)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
* * * Findings, Legislative Intent, and Purpose * * *
Sec. 1. FINDINGS
The General Assembly finds that:
(1) although an imperfect tool for measuring the true number of
unhoused Vermonters, the Vermont Homeless Management Information
System as of December 2025 indicated that there were 4,022 individuals who
were homeless in the State, 863 of whom were children under 18 years of age;
and
(2) the 2024 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment notes that of the
36,000 primary homes needed in Vermont between 2025 and 2029, the number
needed to address homelessness is 3,295.
Sec. 2. LEGISLATIVE INTENT
It is the intent of the General Assembly that:
(1) unsheltered homelessness be eliminated and that homelessness in
Vermont be rare, brief, and nonrecurring;
(2) Vermont reduce reliance on the inefficient use of hotel and motel
rooms for emergency housing;

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(3) utilization of an emergency housing benefit to access hotels and
motels through the General Assistance program end and be replaced by a
continuum of services; and
(4) a continuum of supports and services be available and administered
flexibly in a manner that:
(A) provides a stable pathway to permanent housing;
(B) meets the specific needs of households experiencing
homelessness; and
(C) supports community partners.
Sec. 3. PURPOSE
It is the purpose of this act to:
(1) establish a continuum of supports and services for households who
are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of experiencing
homelessness;
(2) ensure that tailored, temporary emergency housing assistance is
available to Vermonters in a manner that encourages efficient and accountable
use of taxpayer funds;
(3) support self-sufficiency and reduce returns to homelessness by
developing personalized housing plans with required participation by
households;
(4) establish clear eligibility criteria and require active household
participation;

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(5) expand the use of alternative emergency housing models in
partnership with municipalities, nonprofit community-based providers, and
private landlords;
(6) integrate supportive services to assist households to achieve
permanent housing stability;
(7) establish transparent accountability measures, reporting
requirements, and oversight mechanisms;
(8) increase Program efficiency and promote maximum flexibility in
administering services and supports in the continuum;
(9) empower local communities to administer emergency housing
services with maximum flexibility; and
(10) create a diversified system of emergency housing options,
including shelters, specialized shelters, shared housing arrangements, host-
home models, master-lease units, and rapid rehousing placements, that provide
cost-effective, sustainable, and supportive outcomes to households.
* * * Creation of the Vermont Homelessness Response Continuum * * *
Sec. 4. 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is added to read:
CHAPTER 22. VERMONT HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE CONTINUUM
§ 2201. DEFINITIONS
As used in this chapter:
(1) “Alternative housing options” means housing options including
shelters, specialized shelters, transitional housing, recovery residences, shared

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housing arrangements, host-home models, master-lease units, and rapid
rehousing placements.
(2) “Applicant” means a household that applies for emergency housing
assistance.
(3) “At risk of homelessness” means precariously housed without
sufficient income, resources, or support to prevent homelessness.
(4) “Case management services” means individualized supportive
services.
(5) “Coordinated entry” means a process that standardizes the way
households at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness access and
are assessed for and referred to the housing and services that a household needs
for housing stability.
(6) “Department” means the Department for Children and Families.
(7) “Disability” means a physical, sensory, cognitive, developmental, or
mental health condition or substance use disorder that substantially limits one
or more major life activities, or that requires ongoing support, accommodation,
or treatment to maintain an individual’s health, safety, or independence. The
term includes chronic or episodic conditions that significantly impact daily
functioning, regardless of whether the individual is receiving, or is eligible to
receive, federal disability benefits.
(8) “Diversion” means a strategy aimed at preventing homelessness by
helping households find immediate alternative housing options instead of

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entering shelters. Diversion focuses on addressing the needs of those who
have recently lost their housing.
(9) “Eligible household” means a household that is homeless and