MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – It’s been five days since the state opened up emergency shelters to accommodate those who lost hotel rooms following the seasonal end of DCF’s wintertime adverse weather policy. Shelters opened in four locations around the state for the estimated 500 people, and for the first time Tuesday night, all four were used.
The shelter at the state office building in Burlington has had the highest numbers so far with 30 people on Monday and 27 on Tuesday. The other shelters in Rutland, Berlin, and Brattleboro have also seen low numbers, indicating that only a small fraction of the eligible people are using the beds.
Governor Phil Scott Wednesday called the shelters a success for how quickly they were put together and set up. He says it’s a step the state normally has not taken but that they did it to protect people. “We activated to make sure that didn’t happen and we were able to protect people in the end. I think it all seemed to work out. There were no real incidents that I’m aware of,” he said.
The governor continues to point to the need for more housing and shelters. Lawmakers meanwhile are developing a plan in next year’s budget to find long-term solutions but also to continue the hotel-motel program in the meantime.
The four temporary emergency shelters, which are projected to cost the state about $50,000 for staffing, were only expected to last a week. There’s no word yet from state officials if they will be extended.
In two separate developments on Wednesday, a judge ordered that three people who were displaced from the hotels could return. And Rutland officials also notified the state that the temporary shelter there needs a zoning permit and the state could face a fine of up to $200 a day if they don’t come into compliance.
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