Committee On Temporary Shelter

COTS PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTER, SERVICES, AND HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR MARGINALLY HOUSED IN VERMONT. COTS ADVOCATES FOR LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO END HOMELESSNESS.

IN THE 2021 FISCAL YEAR, 22 FAMILIES, INCLUDING 40 CHILDREN, STAYED IN COTS' EMERGENCY SHELTERS. EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR FAMILIES: THE FIREHOUSE FAMILY SHELTER (OPENED IN 1988, FULLY RENOVATED IN 2021) AND MAIN STREET FAMILY SHELTER (OPENED IN 2002) PROVIDE SAFE AND DECENT SHELTER FOR 15 FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. FAMILIES CAN STAY FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS WHILE THEY WORK WITH COTS STAFF TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, CHILD CARE AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES. GUESTS BENEFIT FROM TRAUMA INFORMED SPACE DESIGN AND PROGRAM ELEMENTS DURING THEIR STAY. THE COTS CHILDREN'S EDUCATION ADVOCATE WORKS WITH CHILDREN AND PARENTS IN SHELTER TO ENSURE SUCCESS IN SCHOOL, PROMOTE CHILDREN'S HEALTHY SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, AND STRENGTHEN FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS.

IN THE 2021 FISCAL YEAR, COTS HELPED 163 HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL CRISIS AVERT HOMELESSNESS AND STAY IN THEIR HOUSING, AND ASSISTED 35 HOUSEHOLDS IN ACHIEVING RAPID RE-HOUSING AFTER HAVING LOST PREVIOUS HOUSING. HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM: THE HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER (HRC), COTS' CENTRALIZED ONE-STOP COMMUNITY CENTER IS DEDICATED TO HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION AND HOUSING RETENTION. THE HRC OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO PREVENT AT-RISK HOUSEHOLDS FROM LOSING THEIR EXISTING HOUSING DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES AND TO ASSIST THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT PERMANENT SHELTER MOVE INTO STABLE HOUSING. LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH A NETWORK OF LOCAL LANDLORDS HELPS TO FACILITATE SUCCESSFUL CLIENT TRANSITIONS INTO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC HOUSING. THE HRC OFFERS GRANTS, LOANS, AND GUARANTEE ASSISTANCE WITH RENT AND SECURITY DEPOSITS.

IN THE 2021 FISCAL YEAR, 78 INDIVIDUALS STAYED IN COTS' OVERNIGHT SHELTERS, AND 179 INDIVIDUALS VISITED THE DAYSTATION. EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR SINGLE ADULTS: THE WAYSTATION (OPENED IN 1982) IS A 36-BED OVERNIGHT SHELTER FOR MEN AND WOMEN, AGE 18 AND OLDER. THE DAYSTATION (OPENED IN 1988) IS A DAYTIME DROP-IN CENTER OFFERING REFUGE FROM THE STREETS, WHERE A NOONTIME MEAL IS SERVED. THESE FACILITIES ARE OPEN 365 DAYS A YEAR. WHILE BOTH FACILITIES EXPERIENCED PERIODS OF DIMINISHED CAPACITY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, CARE WAS TAKEN TO PROVIDE REGULAR TESTING FOR GUESTS, AS WELL AS VACCINATIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOCAL FREE CLINIC TO HELP MAKE THE SHELTER SAFER FOR GUESTS AND STAFF.

SUPPORT SERVICES: ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT SERVICES ARE OFFERED TO ALL OF COTS' CLIENTS. 53 HOMELESS FAMILIES, INCLUDING THOSE STAYING IN EMERGENCY SHELTER OR IN THE COMMUNITY, RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM COTS STAFF. 130 SINGLE, HOMELESS ADULTS RECEIVED OUTREACH AND SUPPORT FROM COTS STAFF. TRANSITIONAL AND PERMANENT HOUSING: THE SMITH HOUSE (OPENED IN 2002) PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS MOVING OUT OF SHELTER WITH TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. THE SMITH HOUSE HAS SEVEN SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY UNITS, PLUS TWO PERMANENT APARTMENTS, AND A FULL-TIME RESIDENTIAL MANAGER. CANAL STREET VETERANS HOUSING (OPENED IN 2011) PROVIDES 28 UNITS OF PERMANENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH PRIORITY PLACEMENT FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE WILSON (PURCHASED IN 1984) AND ST. JOHN'S HALL (PURCHASED IN 1991) TOGETHER PROVIDE 44 SINGLE-ROOM OCCUPANCY (SRO) UNITS AND FOUR APARTMENTS: PERMANENT HOUSING FOR FORMERLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, AS WELL AS LOW-INCOME SENIOR CITIZENS AND VETERANS; BOTH FACILITIES ALSO HAVE RESIDENTIAL MANAGERS.