6 days ago
'Community feedback' and threats: Burlington pauses program for homeless before it starts
Just one day after a pilot program was announced that would allow unhoused people to park their cars at Perkins Pier overnight, city officials rolled back the program, stating it was on an 'indefinite pause.'
The statement came from Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak's office.
The program was slated to begin on the evening of July 4, with interested participants needing to request a permit to park for free between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. At the time the city decided to roll back the program on July 3, city staff had not initiated intake or issued permits for overnight parking.
The mayor's office said the administration came to this decision based on 'substantial community feedback, and out of concern for the safety of program participants based on threatening comments made by members of the public on various online platforms.'
The pilot program was coming at a critical time, as Vermont's hotel/motel program canceled vouchers and exits dozens of families from the housing program. Data shared by the Agency of Human Services indicates 100 households, including 61 children, were required to leave motels beginning July 1 across Chittenden County. The free and safe parking was just one initiative to help.
The mayor's office said it will 'continue to consult with city staff as this situation evolves, and should different responses be necessary from a public health and safety perspective, we will prioritize notice to the community.'
The city also shared that 'it is important to note that the city of Burlington does not have the resources or staff capacity to address the need for shelter or services to respond to the crisis of unsheltered homelessness.'
The city administration said they will continue to call on state officials to ensure more stable shelter is available to households as they wait for permanent, affordable housing to be secured. Shelter providers and advocates from across Vermont said they will continue to hold emergency meetings and planning sessions to sound the alarm over this crisis caused by mass evictions from the state's General Assistance Emergency Housing Program.
Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Burlington won't permit overnight parking for homeless: What changed
