Homeless People in Burlington Prepare for Cold Winter
With shelters and motel rooms already full, people living rough have few ways to keep warm when temperatures drop.
Important Update: Due to the federal government shutdown, there are ongoing changes and uncertainty around 3SquaresVT (SNAP) funding and eligibility. Learn more by visiting our blog.
With shelters and motel rooms already full, people living rough have few ways to keep warm when temperatures drop.
Recent data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition highlights significant housing costs burdens on Vermonters. These statistics show how housing costs have a greater impact on low-income households, many of which are people in protected classes.
Welcome to CVOEO’s Fall 2025 Housing Advocacy Programs Interns, Riley Machanic and Meryl Hartmann.
Last fall, with the state’s motel housing program contracting and cold weather looming, the department swiftly converted the former police headquarters into housing for up to seven families. It hired an out-of-state contractor to manage the shelter through the winter, and, in May, the nonprofit Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity took over.
Advocates for the homeless say Vermont is in the midst of a “humanitarian crisis” when it comes to the number of unhoused people statewide. The 2025 Vermont State of Homelessness Report, released on Wednesday, shows record-breaking numbers of homeless residents and a system overwhelmed by demand.
Vermont is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, according to a new statewide report released today. The report shows record-breaking numbers of unsheltered homeless residents and a homelessness response system overwhelmed by demand and undercut by funding cuts and affordable housing shortages.
Vermont is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, according to a new statewide report released today by the Housing and Homelessness Alliance of Vermont, Chittenden County Homeless Alliance, and the Vermont Balance of State Continuum of Care. The report shows record-breaking numbers of unsheltered homeless residents and a homelessness response system overwhelmed by demand.
On June 28, over 30 Vermont-based homelessness prevention and response organizations issued an urgent appeal to Governor Phil Scott, calling for immediate and decisive action to address a looming crisis facing nearly 1,000 vulnerable Vermonters at risk of losing emergency shelter by July 1. As of this morning, there has been no substantive response from the Governor.
A homeless shelter in Burlington is celebrating some upgrades. The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity and Champlain Housing Trust on Thursday showed off renovations to the Champlain Place emergency shelter.
After a year of renovations and program development, the Champlain Place Emergency Shelter opened its doors again on May 22. ?Champlain Place sits on Shelburne Road and is the third shelter project that the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, CVOEO, and the Champlain Housing Trust have worked on together.? This partnership saw updates to rooms and the building, while also providing more programming opportunities. These building renovations include new plumbing and heating systems, flooring and repairs, and an outdoor courtyard for residents.