Vermont tightens access to state motel vouchers as new homelessness system begins

People looking for a state-funded room will have to contact the state only during weekday business hours, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Vermont has started a broad reset of how it uses motel rooms for people without stable housing, with new limits taking effect Sept. 1 under the Vermont Homeless Response Continuum. The change comes after the Legislature approved the overhaul and Gov. Phil Scott signed it in June.

Under the updated system, people looking for a state-funded room will have to contact the state only during weekday business hours, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The evening and weekend pathway that had relied on Vermont 211 is being shut down.

That means fewer immediate openings and a more detailed screening process. State officials say the new intake will examine a person’s health, safety and possible housing alternatives before a motel voucher is issued. The process is also expected to be used for other shelter programs later on.

The Department for Children and Families says the changes are part of a broader move away from treating the motel program as an emergency-only response. Miranda Gray, deputy commissioner of the Economic Services Division, said the state is shifting toward a model that emphasizes prioritizing limited space and connecting people with services through case management.

The law also reduces the number of motel and hotel rooms the state can use over the course of the year and shortens the maximum stay to 70 days. That cap does not apply during the winter months.

For United Ways of Vermont, the change ends a major role for its 211 line. In July alone, Vermont 211 took 1,024 calls linked to housing assistance and completed 541 intakes tied to the motel voucher system, according to director Alison Lamagna. She said the organization was informed late last month that the state would no longer use 211 as the entry point for motel access after office hours.

Lamagna said the decision raises concerns for people who may not have steady phone access or who may need help quickly because of dangerous conditions, including domestic violence. She added that 211 will still be able to direct people to community shelters and other housing programs.

Advocates for unhoused Vermonters argue that the new rules do not match the intent of the law. Brenda Siegel, executive director of End Homelessness Vermont, said the state’s new eligibility process is far more restrictive than what supporters of the legislation expected.

The result, critics say, is a tradeoff: more structure and more services for those who qualify, but a narrower path into shelter for many others.