Housing & Homelessness: Increase Access to Safe, Stable and Affordable Housing for all Children

Safe, stable and affordable housing is essential to children’s well-being and success. Housing instability, homelessness, and unsafe housing contribute to childhood  trauma, ACEs, and nega­tive outcomes. Increasing state investments in affordable housing, reducing homelessness, and improving the health and safety of rental housing are critical to improving children’s outcomes. The Alliance supports the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition in securing full statutory funding for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, increased rental assistance and supportive services, and statewide housing code enforcement. The state’s chronic underfunding of housing needs means we must find equitable new revenue sources, like a proposed tax surcharge on high-end homes.

LEAD ORGANIZATION: Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition

Related Links

2021 Legislative Agenda

Advocates at the Vermont State House on Homelessness Awareness Day

Talking Point

  • Strategic investments in housing, financial supports, and services help reduce and prevent homelessness; improve the lives of children, families, and vulnerable Vermonters; improve their physical and mental well-being; and improve their chances to succeed and live independent lives – all while building strong, healthy communities.

Resources and Advocacy Tools

Affordable housing units.

Get Involved

  • Sign up for the VAHC newsletter- email Sara Fleming at sara@vtaffordablehousing.org.
  • Visit VAHC’s website for an evolving list of action items.
  • Support:
    • Capital investments to create more permanently affordable housing: fully fund the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board at the full statutory amount.
    • Housing‐related financial assistance that fills the affordability gap for low‐wage working families or those living on fixed incomes: increase annual funding for the Vermont Rental Subsidy and the Department of Mental Health’s Subsidy+Care programs to $2 million each.
    • Supportive services for those with the greatest challenges to finding and maintaining housing: expand Medicaid funding as a stable funding source for tenancy supports.