Sheltering the Homeless

Vermont is trying to figure out what to do with its homeless population after the pandemic, according to Seven Days reporter Kevin McCallum in an article appearing this week. During the “Stay Home Stay Safe” order, the State is paying about $3 million per month to shelter some 1,700 people in motels. With the current emergency declaration set to be lifted on May 15th, state officials must decide on a next step.

According to McCallum, the State will not be kicking everyone to the curb on the May 15th deadline. ” The department [for Children and Families] is planning to extend the benefit that effectively lets anyone who needs a hotel voucher to get one, [Commissioner Ken Schatz] said.” But the State would certainly prefer a cheaper, more cost-effective solution.

Housing advocates have suggested it could cost as much as $14 million to properly address the problem, but that their proposal would use only about eight percent of the State’s $1.25 billion from the federal CARES Act. And it would provide more cost-effective solutions for the long run.

In recent years, studies have strongly suggested that the most economical solution to homelessness is to simply provide housing to those who need it. The studies factor in such public expenses as policing and healthcare, which are significantly reduced when people have housing. Studies also found reductions in alcohol abuse and improvements in social functioning.

There has been a lot of talk during this pandemic about finding the “New Normal” — about discarding society’s old habits that have not served us so well. It’s a nice idea, but it will take some work. The opportunities are there, but it’s up to us to make it happen.

For Further Reading:

• “Vermont Pondering How to Move Homeless Out Of Motels” by Kevin McCallum, Seven Days
• “The Cheapest Way to End Homelessness is Ridiculously Simple, According to the Largest-Ever Study” by Drake Baer, Business Insider
• “The Most Cost-Effective Way to Help the Homeless is to Give Them Homes” by Matthew Yglesias, Vox