COLCHESTER, Vt. (WCAX) – The Green Mountain State has an eviction crisis. That’s according to a new report from Legal Services Vermont.
“It’s a phone call no wife wants to get. The love of your life, someone you’re with for 20 years, you know? But I just took it day by day,” said Eva Gaboriault.
Gaboriault’s husband had a stroke, and he became paralyzed on his left side. He needed a full-time caretaker. Gaboriault stepped in, and rent payments started stacking up.
“The sheriff came with the writ, and then we had to be out February 27th, and we came here, and have been here ever since,” said Gaboriault.
“Here” is the motel 6 in Colchester. It’s where many who have been evicted in Chittenden County end up staying through the hotel-motel program.
“I knew the numbers were bad, but when I pulled them together, even I was kind of shocked,” said Sam Abel-Palmer from Legal Services Vermont
At a minimum of every five years, Legal Services Vermont is required to assess the legal needs of the community they serve. Their latest and most staggering finding is that evictions have increased 45% in the last five years.
“Fallout from the pandemic really destabilized the housing market,” said Abel-Palmer.
Abel-Palmer says rental prices skyrocketed and low-income Vermonters stopped being able to afford rent. He adds that federal assistance through Section 8 only has so much money in the pot. As rental prices increase, Section 8 funding stays stagnant, and may even be cut under the new administration. Places like Burlington Housing Authority are now turning folks away from vouchers because they don’t have enough funding.
“There are fewer people who have rental assistance, which means more people can’t afford their rent, meaning more people get evicted,” said Abel-Palmer.
Abel-Palmer says this is leading landlords to exit the industry. Without rent, they can’t afford their properties or necessary maintenance. Some convert their rentals into condos or Airbnbs, leading to even less housing on the market.
Abel-Palmer says new affordable housing is the only real solution, but for Gaboriault, she and her husband have an eviction on their record and can’t get a reference from their old landlord. No affordable housing rentals in our housing crunch have accepted their application yet.
“If we had a handicapped unit, he would have everything he needs and he would thrive. Whereas in here, it’s like we’re just withering away,” said Gaboriault.
We have reached out to the landlord, but have not heard back yet at this time.