Prior to 2021 the number of persons experiencing homelessness in Vermont remained relatively consistent for many years. Predictably, the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 caused a significant increase in the number of adults and children experiencing homelessness. During the pandemic State funding for motel vouchers increased to coincide with the COVID-19 State of Emergency, and it is important to note that numbers reported here include those housed in motels with a voucher.  

While no single measure of homelessness purports 100% accuracy, the Point-In-Time count uses standard definitions developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and constitutes Vermont’s best proxy measure at this time.

Homelessness remains a challenging problem in Vermont, with the impacts of COVID-19 likely to impact access to housing into the future. This is in addition to the ongoing challenges associated with a tight rental market, increased competition for rental subsidies, and barriers to accessible housing resulting form histories or behaviors that often warrant additional customized services for a housing placement to be successful.

Updated in September, 2022

Homelessness in Vermont is a population-level problem. While the Agency of Human Services (AHS) and its Departments are working to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability in Vermont, AHS recognizes that housing stability is something many other specific partners are accountable for improving. Each of the partners below was identified as having a contributing role to play in improving this population-level indicator for the state of Vermont.

• All AHS Departments
• Community Action Agencies
• Designated Agencies
• Domestic Violence Shelters
• Emergency Shelter Network
• Governor’s Council on Homelessness
• Governor’s Housing Council
• Health Care Providers
• Housing First Organizations
• Local Faith Community
• Local Housing Authorities
• Local Land Trusts
• PATH Providers
• Private Landlords
• Supportive Housing Providers
• Transitional Housing Providers
• U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FEMA – Emergency Food & Shelter Program
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
• U.S. SAMHSA
• U.S. Veteran’s Administration
• Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition
• Vermont Agency of Education – McKinney-Vento Coordinators
• Vermont Center for Independent Living
• Vermont’s Continuum of Care
• Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development
• Vermont Community Development Board
• Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
• Vermont Housing Finance Agency
• Vermont State Housing Authority
• VT Coalition of Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
• Warming Shelters and Drop-In Centers
• And most importantly, Vermonters experiencing homelessness and the neighbors, friends, families and communities who help them find a place to call home.

Lowering the rate of homelessness in Vermont will require the sustained work of our many partners, an honest assessment of the complex challenges faced by low and extremely low income Vermonters, and the collective will to address these challenges in a coordinated way. Quality jobs, transportation, education and health are all key factors for housing stability, and, as such, many programs in AHS and beyond are contributing to this effort.

A few components of a successful strategy to end homelessness in Vermont include:

• Significant development of more rental housing which is affordable and accessible to Vermont households earning less than 30% of area median income. Once built, this housing must be available to the homeless. A culture change may be required to move us from a position of “who is eligible for housing?” to “what blend of supportive services or subsidy assistance will each family need to be a responsible tenant and good neighbor?”
• A more intentional approach to targeting and braiding of rental assistance (federal and state) with the supportive services or case management people who have experienced homelessness may need to be successful.
• Strengthening of local Continuum of Care groups and Housing Review Teams through systems approaches such as coordinated intake, common assessment tools, and rapid referrals to the most appropriate housing, program or assistance to reduce the amount of time a family is homeless.
• Implementing best practices in emerging areas such as Rapid Rehousing.

The data for this measure comes from the annual Point-in-Time count of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January of each year. This is why the number for 2020 remained low, with the pandemic beginning after that time. The definition of literal homelessness used here is a person staying in emergency shelter, transitional housing for homeless persons, a place not meant for human habitation, or a motel with a voucher. 

The count for 2022 is based on preliminary data from Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness and is subject to change. Previous numbers are from the HUD Exchange database.

(Note that count methodology evolved in 2013 and it is likely that the true extent of homelessness in Vermont was higher than officially reported prior to that time.)