Blog

Here you'll find the latest information about what's happening at our member organizations, opportunities in the community, and the latest news from the Legislature. Also VAHC Staff share their thoughts about the housing crisis in Vermont.

David Martins

Nov 21, 2019
3 min

GOOD NEWS: Vermont 2-1-1 to Resume 24-Hour Coverage

sign-on letter supporting resumption of Vermont 211’s after-hours service, as well as the many folks who supported the effort in other ways. I’m happy to report that policymakers in the Administration and the Legislature have listened and responded: DCF’s Economic Services Division has worked out a way for VT-211 to resume its essential after-hours referral services as of December 6. Full 24/7 211 coverage for general human services will run until June 30, while Emergency Hou

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David Martins

Mar 17, 2016
1 min

DCF Says New Program Cuts Down On Homeless Motel Vouchers

This week, the Vermont Department for Children & Families released a Budget Adjustment Report on Housing and Shelter Assistance to the Vermont Legislature. To view the report, click here. Below is commentary from VPR on the report: State efforts to reduce the number of people who use motels for emergency housing have been effective, according to a report released this week by the Department for Children and Families. Last winter, the state saw a significant increase in the n

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David Martins

Aug 27, 2015
1 min

Emergency Housing Update, Memo, and Documents

Please see the following Memo and supporting documentation regarding Emergency Housing: Emergency Housing Memo 8.27.15 Restructuring Resource Allocation SFY16 GA Housing Data SFY15 Letter of Intent Template Members of the DCF Housing Team are available for questions: Commissioner’s Office Ken Schatz – Commissioner – ken.schatz@vermont.gov Karen Vastine – Principal Assistant – karen.vastine@vermont.gov Economic Services Division Sean Brown – Deputy Commissioner – sean.brown

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David Martins

Apr 28, 2015
2 min

AHS/DCF Emergency Housing Proposal

The Agency of Human Services and Department for Children and Families have just announced a proposal to restructure their emergency housing program. Please read more below and click here for the referenced attachment. The deadine to submit feedback is May 8th. DCF Commissioner Ken Schatz and other representatives will be at the May 13th VAHC meeting to discuss the proposal. The Coalition is also seeking feedback from members on the proposal, which can be emailed to erhardm@vt

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David Martins

Feb 2, 2015
2 min

Homeless Children On the Rise in VT Schools

Below is in an excerpt of an article published in the Rutland Herald discussing the increase in homeless children throughout the state of Vermont: While the recession is officially over, many of its effects continue to be felt in Vermont, where rates of homeless families continue to rise. For children of homeless families, continuing their K-12 educations can be an extraordinary challenge as they sometimes face long commutes while struggling with a chaotic life outside school

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David Martins

Jan 15, 2015
2 min

WCAX Reports on Rise in Use of Motel Vouchers This Winter

A recent report from WCAX indicates that the use of motel vouchers for the ‘cold weather exception’ program are on the rise. Below is an excerpt from the article: Last year the Department for Children and Families spent just over a million dollars providing vouchers for the ‘cold weather exception’ program and applications for help are up. DCF points to stats from the start of the winter season last year when nearly 3,100 adults and 550 kids used vouchers. That’s up from abou

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David Martins

Aug 18, 2014
3 min

Seeking Public Comments on the Agency of Human Services (AHS) & the Department for Children and

The Governor’s Council on Pathways from Poverty is soliciting public input from interested parties and service providers on possible recommendations or changes within Department for Children and Families encompassing all divisions of the Department. If you, or an agency you know, would like to provide input there are three ways to do so: 1) Attend a public hearing, 2) submit written comments; or 3) take an online survey – which may be done anonymously. There are key questions

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David Martins

Jul 10, 2014
1 min

Meeting on GA Housing Rules Changes on Tuesday, July 15 in Randolph

Directly following next week’s Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness meeting there will be a special GA housing rules stakeholder meeting. The Department for Children & Families is preparing to amend the General Assistance temporary housing rules and would like feedback from the housing community on potential areas for change. Representatives of DCF’s General Assistance program will present an overview of some proposed areas of change to the rules. VCEH’s monthly meeting wil

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David Martins

Apr 3, 2014
2 min

3SquaresVT, the largest federal nutrition program, provides benefits to 93,000 Vermonters. On Thursday, May 29, 2014 a 3SquaresVT Outreach and Policy Conference will take place at the Red Schoolhouse at Vermont Technical College in Randolph. This conference will offer an opportunity to gain a deeper knowledge of 3SquaresVT participation processes from the DCF food and nutrition team, learn about recent and upcoming federal and state policy changes, enhance outreach skills wi

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David Martins

Dec 30, 2013
1 min

Shining a Light on Poverty: Monthly Discussions to Take Place in 2014

In honor of 50 years of community action in Vermont, the Office of Economic Opportunity, Department for Children and Families will be hosting a series of one-hour discussions on poverty every month in 2014. The discussion series will take place on the following dates, be sure to mark your calendar: January 30, February 27, & March 27 April 24, May 29, & June 26 July 31, August 28, & September 25 October 30, November 20, & December 18 Further details, including time and locat

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David Martins

Aug 2, 2013
1 min

Emergency GA rule posted to DCF/ESD website

The Department for Children and Families/Economic Services Division (DCF/ESD) has posted the revised Emergency rule, which went into effect on August 1, 2013, to its website: http://dcf.vermont.gov/esd/rules. The new rule makes vouchers available to individuals who are 65 and older, have a child age 6 or younger, women who are in their third trimester of pregnancy, and individuals who have applied for or received SSI/SSDI. The rule also maintains the point system but lowers t

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David Martins

Jul 24, 2013
1 min

DCF unveils new emergency housing proposal

Vermont housing advocates met with officials from the Department for Children and Families yesterday to discuss revising the agency’s proposal that would limit access to emergency motel vouchers. The original plan required Vermonters who had not experienced a catastrophic event to meet 6 points on a scale of vulnerability in order to become eligible for a motel voucher. At yesterday’s meeting, DCF unveiled their new proposal which would maintain the point system, but lower

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VTDigger: State may pull back on new rules governing motel stays for homeless

David Martins

Jul 18, 2013
1 min

VTDigger: State may pull back on new rules governing motel stays for homeless

Commissioner David Yacovone says he is “guardedly optimistic” that the Department of Children and Families will be able to relax the rules that determine who among the state’s homeless can stay in motels when shelters are full. The standards will still be more stringent than they’ve been in previous years — the Legislature lopped off a large amount from the motel budget — but DCF is revisiting its initial proposal for paring back the program. DCF was poised to put a temporary

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David Martins

Jul 15, 2013
1 min

Rutland Herald: Vt. to cut motel stays for homeless

Director of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition (VAHC) Erhard Mahnke and Co-chair of the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness, Jeanne Montross, were both interviewed for an article that appeared in yesterday’s Rutland Herald discussing changes to the General Assistance Emergency Housing rules. The new rules will make it difficult for vulnerable Vermonters to qualify for motel vouchers as well as shorten their length of stay. The new policies were scheduled to go into ef

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David Martins

Mar 19, 2013
1 min

Community Housing Grants – Funding Opportunity

The Department for Children & Families, Economic Services Division announces the availability of funding for community partners to work jointly to develop and implement coordinated community responses to prevent and address homelessness of individuals and families in their region. One Community Housing Grant will be awarded in each of the Agency of Human Services (AHS) twelve districts throughout the state. There will be a conference call on Wednesday, March 27 at 10:00am t

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The Latest on Motel Spending: DCF, Lawmakers Look to Slash Budget

David Martins

Feb 14, 2013
1 min

The Latest on Motel Spending: DCF, Lawmakers Look to Slash Budget

#Homelessness #COTS #AffordableHousing #VT #StateResearch #DCF #HousingCreationandPreservation #StateBudgetFunding #Housing #HousingHealthandSafety #HousingAgencyandNonprofitNews

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State wants to end practice of housing homeless individuals in motels

David Martins

Feb 11, 2013
1 min

State wants to end practice of housing homeless individuals in motels

By: Alicia Freese. Reposted from VTDigger.org, February 10, 2013. “Faced with soaring costs and concerns that the program is being abused, the state wants to shut the door on the practice of housing homeless individuals in motels. Motels are the department’s fallback option when people without financial resources need temporary housing and shelters are full. The change would be considerable — nearly half the hotel vouchers the Department for Children and Families gives out

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Leaders Question Program that Puts Vermont's Homeless in Motels

David Martins

Feb 5, 2013
1 min

Leaders Question Program that Puts Vermont's Homeless in Motels

By: Kathryn Flagg. Seven Days, January 30, 2013. #Homelessness #AffordableHousing #VT #DCF #Housing #HousingHealthandSafety #HousingMarket

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David Martins

Oct 31, 2012
2 min

Cold Weather Exemption for General Assistance and Emergency Assistance programs

Richard Giddings, Deputy Commissioner, DCF-Economic Services, 10/25/12 In harsh winter weather, eligibility for temporary shelter through Vermont’s General Assistance (GA) and Emergency Assistance (EA) programs will be relaxed to encourage persons who are homeless and without adequate financial resources to seek safe shelter. General and Emergency Assistance is only available to US Citizens and legal resident aliens. An exception to this may be made to ensure the safety of c

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David Martins

Sep 4, 2012
1 min

DCF Leadership Teams District Town Meetings

Please join members of the DCF Leadership Team in a Town Meeting in your district. The purpose of this meeting is to engage your best thinking in the creation of the DCF Strategic Plan for 2012-2015. (Please find the attached draft strategic plan). Dates for District Town Meetings: Eagles Lodge, Brattleboro – Sept. 6, 9am – 11am VT Veterans’ Home, Luke Crispe Room, Bennington – Sept. 6, 1pm – 3pm Elks Club, Springfield – Sept. 13, 9am – 11am Valley Land Corporation, Bingo

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