We feel very proud and happy to have people stay with us. One motel owner said that “the ideal situation isn’t living in a one-room motel room, but is a great short-term solution. Out of the 62 motels we called across the state, all except two support the program continuing into the future and would house people experiencing homelessness during tourist season.Ĭapacity issues and unwillingness to participate by motel owners are myths.Īnother narrative is that motels and hotels are unsustainable solutions. Across the state, motel owners overwhelmingly support continuing the motel program.
The governor’s narrative is that motels do not support the program, nor do they have the capacity. Now, are we back to just saying we care without acting? Because for people who now have 30 more days under a roof, this is only a brief moment to breathe. With the general assistance program, “it felt like for once someone was actually doing something, instead of just saying something,” says Josh, who was in the general assistance motel program until July 1. One voice for change is Josh Lisenby, a lived experience expert from Middlebury who spearheaded this letter to the governor.
The advocacy came largely from people with lived experience, who truly show dedication when they advocate to end homelessness while experiencing homelessness. Due to constant pressure from an array of advocates and state leaders, there has been a 30-day extension. 23, the program was slated by the governor to end for 500 more Vermonters, including children. When the general assistance motel program came along, I envisioned it as a solution to ensure that happened to nobody else. Almost two years ago, a man experiencing homelessness in my hometown named Thierry Heuga died from exposure while sleeping outside under a bridge. Instead, people are again sleeping under bridges. The motel program was supposed to be a bridge to ending homelessness.
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