An Eye Opening 24-Hour Homeless Experience in Montpelier, Vermont: Must Read!


As I believe current events in the affordable housing world duly warrants it and, also, as this particular essay still very much remains timely in my humble opinion, I am reposting the below introductory of a must read essay.

The essay was authored by Dana Szegedy, one of five Sterling College students who spent a night out together one cold rainy evening in Montpelier, Vermont during April of last year (2003).

These five college students began their education that evening in several indepth discussions spanning a variety of matters, including homelessness, housing, mental health, disabilities and related subjects while at the Another Way Drop-In Center before embarking out onto the streets for the night.

An Eye Opening 24-Hour Homeless Experience in Montpelier, Vermont


by Dana Szegedy


Question of Perception


Perception: something rarely thought of, but often used.

What is your perception of a man walking the streets at night, tired, depressed, ragged looking? What's your perception of a former mental health patient? Or a clean, wise, helpful man who happens to be homeless? Is there a difference between these people?

Before you say "he wanted to be homeless" or "we don't have a problem with homelessness here," read about my experience as well as some of what people who either live or have lived homeless have to say about these matters.

To read more, go to: An Eye Opening 24-Hour Homeless Experience in Montpelier, Vermont


Notes:

The Vermont Homeless Journal (VHJ) Essays Blog is the blog page for any of the longer original articles, commentary, columns or essays concerning homelessness and related matters, which have been authored and blogged by individual writers and blogger(s) of the Vermont Homeless Journal (VHJ) blog.

Note: All Rights, concerning written material posted on the VHJ blog(s), revert and belong solely to their individual author(s). If their e-mail address is not provided along with their writing, e-mail VHJ for further info or to be put in contact with an individual VHJ contributing writer.

Vermont: Local Housing agencies swallow budget cuts


Saturday, May 22, 2004
Barre - Montpelier Times Argus
Housing agencies swallow budget cuts

By David Delcore

TIMES ARGUS STAFF

BARRE - Executives of two local housing authorities say they'll dip into operating reserves in order to make up for retroactive reductions in their Section 8 housing administration budgets, but both worry about the long-term ramifications of deeper cuts that have already been proposed by federal regulators.

Marc Recko, executive director of the Barre Housing Authority, and Jo Ann Troiano, executive director of the Montpelier Housing Authority, say their agencies are small and diverse enough to absorb funding reductions they learned about earlier this week, when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development informed the state's 10 local housing authorities, as well as the Vermont State Housing Authority, of the retroactive cuts.

[...]


Hardest hit by the cuts is the Vermont State Housing Authority, which issues nearly 4,000 housing vouchers under the federal program each year. The 14 percent reduction VSHA must absorb amounts to more than $260,000. The Burlington Housing Authority, the largest local housing authority in the state, must make up what will be a $106,000 shortfall this fiscal year, while continuing to administer the 1,700 housing vouchers it has already issued and maintaining a sizeable waiting list.

[...]

The wait for Section 8 housing in Montpelier is about two years. The long list recently prompted Troiano to close the authority's waiting list to new applicants. That decision, which was made before the latest cuts were announced, makes even more sense now, according to Troiano, who said she is considering trimming the local housing voucher program by attrition until federal legislators make a decision on HUD's proposed 2005 budget.

[...]

Read the entire news story, here.


Related News Story:

[Vermont] Housing agencies face another cut


Related blog posts:

[Hpn] Section 8 op-ed by Nancy Pelosi

National Housing Justice Memorial Day: May 26, 2004


For additional information, go to:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA)

Congressman Bernie Sanders, I - VT

Bernie Sanders' Press Release (5/20/2004):
Sanders Blasts Bush's Housing Secretary on Housing Cuts in Vermont