A SPECIAL ELECTION WOULD BE NEEDED TO FILL PINE’S COUNCILOR POSITION. PEOPLE AFFECTED BY PANDEMIC-LEAD HOMELESSNESS.. MAY HAVE BEEN RELYING ON HOTEL VOUCHERS. WITH THAT PROGRAM ENDING SOON IN VERMONT, NBC5’S KRYSTIN RAE tells us about… ONE SHELTER. TRYING TO EXPAND THEIR SERVICES. AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF HOMELESSNESS HAS BEEN BROUGHT ON BY THE PANDEMIC. SOT: RICK DEANGELIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GOOD SAMARITAN HAVEN <“THERE’S JUST NOT ENOUGH SPACE, THERES A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN MOTELS RIGHT NOW, AND THAT’S BEGINNING TO WIND DOWN.”> VERMONT’S EMERGENCY HOUSING MOTEL VOUCHERS END VERY SOON FOR MANY. SOT: TRICIA TYO, DEPUTY COMISSIONER FOR THE ECONOMICS SERVICES DIVISION DCF <“AS OF JULY FIRST, THERE WILL BE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE, WHO ARE IN HOUSING RIGHT NOW.”> ACCORDING TO TRICIA TYO, THE STATE HAS PLANS TO BUILD THOUSANDS OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS… BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS. SOT: RICK DEANGELIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GOOD SAMARITAN HAVEN <“IT’S UNFORTUNATE BUT THE NEED CONTINUES TO GROW AND GROW, BUT NOW HERE WE ARE, POST COVID ALMOST, AND THE NEED FOR THESE SERVICES HAS NEVER BEEN HIGHER. AND THAT’S WHAT HAS LEAD US TO LOOKING FOR ANOTHER FACILITY.”> RICK DEANGELIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOOD SAMARITAN SHELTER IN BARRE, HAS PLANS TO PURCHASE THE TWIN CITY MOTEL IN BERLIN TO PROVIDE A 30- DAY TRANSITIONAL SHELTER FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. SOT: MARY MOULTON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WASHINGTON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH <“WE’RE HOPING TO CREATE A HUB, A HUB OF RESOURCES, INFORMATION, THAT WE WOULD BE PROVIDING TO PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE TWIN CITY LOOKING FOR HOUSING, NEEDING SUPPORT.”> SOT: SUE MINTER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CAPSTONE <“WE KNOW THAT WITH THE HOTELS, SOME DIFFICULT THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING. THIS SYSTEM IS TO CHANGE THAT TO A SYSTEM THAT IS SAFE, RESPECTFUL, SAFE, AND WELL MANAGED.”> THE HUB AT TWIN CITY IS SET TO PARTNER WITH PROGRAMS SUCH AS WASHINGTON COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH, CAPSTONE, DOWNSTREET, AND OTHERS TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED GET ON A TRACK TO SUCCESS AS THEY TRANSITION OUT FROM SHELTERS. SOT: RICK DEANGELIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GOOD SAMARITAN HAVEN <“WE’RE GOING TO HAVE MOST OF OUR STAFF ON THAT SITE, WE’RE CALLING IT A SERVICE-ENRICHED EMERGENCY HOUSING CENTER. SO YES, THE IDEA IS THAT THIS IS DIFFERENT, AND ITS GOING TO HELP GET PEOPLE BACK INTO A SECURE AND STABLE LIFESTYLE MUCH QUICKER.”> THE VERMONT HOUSING AND CONSERVATION BOARD MUST STILL APPROVE FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT. IF THAT HAPPENS, THE HUB AT TWIN CITY WILL START HOUSING PEOPLE LATER THIS YEAR.
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Plans for a new transitional shelter are underway in Berlin
Updated: 2:03 AM EDT May 25, 2021
An overwhelming amount of homelessness has been brought on by the pandemic. Rick Deangelis, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Haven said, “there’s just not enough space, there’s a very large amount of people who are living in motels right now, and that’s beginning to wind down.”Vermont’s emergency housing motel vouchers end very soon for many. “As of July first, there will be a number of people who are no longer eligible, who are in housing right now,” said Tricia Tyo, Deputy Commissioner for Economics Service Division DCF. According to Tyo, the state has plans to build thousands of new affordable housing units throughout the state, but until that happens, Good Samaritan Haven is trying to open a new transitional shelter. “It’s unfortunate but the need continues to grow and grow, but now here we are, post COVID almost, and the need for these services has never been higher. And that’s what has led us to looking for another facility,” said Deangelis. He has plans to purchase the Twin City Motel in Berlin to help provide a 30-day transitional shelter for people in need. The plan involves partnering with different organizations to provide a hub of resources. “We’re hoping to create a hub, a hub of resources, information, that we would be providing to people who come to the twin city looking for housing, needing support,” said Mary Moulton of Washington County Mental Health. “We know that with the hotels, some difficult things have been happening. This system is to change that to a system that is safe, respectful, safe, and well managed,” said Sue Minter of Capstone. The Hub at Twin City is set to partner with programs such as Washington County Mental Health, Capstone, Downstreet, and others to help people get on a track to success as they transition out from shelters. “We’re going to have most of our staff on that site, we’re calling it a service-enriched emergency housing center. So yes, the idea is that this is different, and it’s going to help get people back into a secure and stable lifestyle much quicker,” said Deangelis. Good Samaritan is still waiting on approval for funding from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for the hub project. If that happens, The Hub At Twin City is anticipated to start housing people before the year comes to an end.
An overwhelming amount of homelessness has been brought on by the pandemic.
Rick Deangelis, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Haven said, “there’s just not enough space, there’s a very large amount of people who are living in motels right now, and that’s beginning to wind down.”
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Vermont’s emergency housing motel vouchers end very soon for many.
“As of July first, there will be a number of people who are no longer eligible, who are in housing right now,” said Tricia Tyo, Deputy Commissioner for Economics Service Division DCF.
According to Tyo, the state has plans to build thousands of new affordable housing units throughout the state, but until that happens, Good Samaritan Haven is trying to open a new transitional shelter. “It’s unfortunate but the need continues to grow and grow, but now here we are, post COVID almost, and the need for these services has never been higher. And that’s what has led us to looking for another facility,” said Deangelis.
He has plans to purchase the Twin City Motel in Berlin to help provide a 30-day transitional shelter for people in need. The plan involves partnering with different organizations to provide a hub of resources.
“We’re hoping to create a hub, a hub of resources, information, that we would be providing to people who come to the twin city looking for housing, needing support,” said Mary Moulton of Washington County Mental Health.
“We know that with the hotels, some difficult things have been happening. This system is to change that to a system that is safe, respectful, safe, and well managed,” said Sue Minter of Capstone.
The Hub at Twin City is set to partner with programs such as Washington County Mental Health, Capstone, Downstreet, and others to help people get on a track to success as they transition out from shelters.
“We’re going to have most of our staff on that site, we’re calling it a service-enriched emergency housing center. So yes, the idea is that this is different, and it’s going to help get people back into a secure and stable lifestyle much quicker,” said Deangelis.
Good Samaritan is still waiting on approval for funding from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for the hub project. If that happens, The Hub At Twin City is anticipated to start housing people before the year comes to an end.
