Discussion about entry: Homelessness Prevention

That is a fantastic question.

Marketing for homeless prevention is truly a collaborative effort among all service agencies in our community. It consists of a lot of outreach in the community to hospitals, schools, daycares, community partner agencies, Vermont Economic Services Department and any other organization that provides assistance for low-income families and individuals. Flyers and business cards are distributed to all of these locations and available to the public. We also provide information to the community about homelessness prevention through the COTS website.

We also initiated an event called the Housing Resource Fair that brought many service agencies in our community together to network and communicate how to better integrate all of the services that are available and how to make proper referrals. Finally, we work with landlords and other housing authorities and providers to talk with them about our prevention efforts and work to ensure open lines of communication. We also communicate with these organizations through articles we submit to their internal or external newsletters.

When thinking about financial sustainability for this initiative, we look at it from many angles. Our number one sustainable goal and belief is that keeping people in their housing, thereby avoiding the damage of an eviction, poor credit score, negative landlord referral and emotional turmoil, in the current, extremely tight, housing and rental market in Burlington, Vermont will truly make strides in ending homelessness. Sustaining the stability of that a home provides for families, who would otherwise become homeless, uses less funding and is, therefore, a sustainable solution. We look at how funds are used and shift them to work to help individuals keep their jobs, children stay in their schools and families to remain housed so that a short-term financial crisis does not end up equaling long term damage in all aspects of life for a family or individual.

One long-term goal is that families and individuals that receive support can eventually repay that money they received one they are stable and their income has increased. We are also working to redirect state funding resources from extremely expensive emergency housing to the less costly and result-producing prevention effort of maintaining a persons’ existing housing. So far, we have seen some success in this goal of redirecting state funding so those that would otherwise become homeless and struggle in this housing market for months, if not years, can avoid the difficulties and damage that comes from a foreclosure or eviction and remain housed.