Homeless Crisis.

Vermont is facing a growing homelessness crisis, with nearly 3,500 people currently without stable housing—a staggering 300% increase since the creation of the hotel voucher program. This temporary solution has proven unsustainable, leading to an uptick in homelessness and criminal activity, particularly in communities like Barre City. The current system has negatively impacted the quality of life for residents and has failed to address the root causes of homelessness.

At the core of this crisis are issues of mental health, substance abuse, and the lack of affordable housing. To effectively solve homelessness, we need to shift away from stopgap measures like the voucher program and focus on long-term solutions. I support ending the voucher program and investing those resources into rehabilitation programs for substance abuse and mental health services. These programs are essential to helping people break the cycle of homelessness and regain stability.

Vermont's housing crisis is a major factor in the homelessness issue, and one way to address this is by tackling Act 250 and the cumbersome permitting process. These regulatory hurdles make it difficult and expensive to build affordable housing. By streamlining these processes, we can encourage the development of more housing options, making it easier for working families and individuals to find stable, affordable homes. Fixing these regulations will help increase housing supply and lower costs, providing a long-term solution to both the housing crisis and homelessness. My plan aims to create a path forward by addressing these structural barriers and focusing on real, lasting change.