Bill > H0091

This bill establishes the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing (VHEARTH) Program to address Vermont's growing homelessness crisis. The bill finds that Vermont has the fourth-highest homelessness rate in the United States, with approximately 3,458 unhoused individuals as of 2024, representing a 300 percent increase since 2020. The program aims to eliminate unsheltered homelessness and make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring by replacing existing emergency housing programs and implementing a comprehensive approach to supporting homeless households. Key provisions include creating regional advisory councils, establishing core services such as intake assessments, housing navigation, and supportive services, and reducing reliance on hotel and motel rooms for emergency housing. Community action agencies will be responsible for providing shelter and support services in their regions, with a focus on transitioning households to permanent housing. The bill requires regular reporting on homelessness metrics, includes funding for transition planning and implementation, and emphasizes a Housing First approach that prioritizes providing stable housing and comprehensive support services to help households achieve self-sufficiency.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.91