The following is a statement from James Duff Lyall, Executive Director at the ACLU of Vermont:
“Sadly, we find ourselves faced with another April 1 mass unsheltering of our most vulnerable neighbors by our elected leaders. Year after year, the governor has rejected comprehensive reforms that would address Vermont’s status as a state with one of the highest rates of homelessness in the country. He has blamed everyone but his own administration for that and keeps calling for more cuts to the state’s General Assistance emergency housing program—while offering no alternative solutions that meet the needs of our community.
“This approach pushes legal and financial liability onto our towns and cities, further stresses community-based shelters when they are already at capacity, and forces more of our most vulnerable neighbors onto the street.
“It doesn’t have to be this way. The state has the resources to meet the needs of our community—and could be leveraging more federal support as well. Specifically, the administration sought and received authority to use up to $34 million in Medicaid dollars to provide housing supports for people with disabilities this year, and another $35 million for 2027. Incredibly, amidst a statewide housing crisis, the Scott administration has chosen not to put those funds to use.
“Meanwhile, people with disabilities who need that support are once again facing the choice between risking their life and health by living outside or going to the hospital for exorbitantly expensive care. Other people housed in the GA program—all of whom have been deemed vulnerable in some way by the state, including families with children, seniors, those fleeing domestic violence, and more—will be faced with similarly bleak options.
“The governor’s short-sighted and single-minded obsession with denying access to shelter is hurting people, families, and communities statewide. We continue to demand better for our state.”
The ACLU is interested in hearing from people who are currently in the GA program or who were recently unsheltered. Please contact Jessica Radbord at 802-251-6554.
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