H 91

BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 1 of 105
 1  H.91
 2   Introduced by Representatives McGill of Bridport, Cole of Hartford, Cordes
 3  of Bristol, Garofano of Essex, and Wood of Waterbury
 4   Referred to Committee on
 5   Date:
 6   Subject: Human services; shelter; emergency temporary shelter
 7   Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish the
 8   Emergency Temporary Shelter Program to replace the General Assistance
 9   Emergency Housing Program.
10      An act relating to the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program
        An act relating to the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
        Responsive Transition to Housing Program
11   It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
12  * * * Legislative Intent * * *
13   Sec. 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT
14      It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Emergency Temporary
15   Shelter Program established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is a step toward ensuring
16   that:
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 2 of 105
 1  (1) unsheltered homelessness be eliminated in Vermont and interim
 2   shelter opportunities be available to provide a stable pathway to permanent
 3   housing for all Vermonters experiencing homelessness;
 4  (2) arbitrary time limits, night-by-night shelter, relocation between
 5   interim housing sites, and other disruptions in housing stability be eliminated;
 6  (3) noncongregate housing be used to the greatest extent possible;
 7  (4) Vermont’s emergency housing statutes, rules, policies, and practices
 8   incorporate Housing First principles, trauma-informed practices, and emerging
 9   best practices, including:
10  (A) immediate access to shelter without housing readiness
11   requirements; and
12  (B) voluntary supportive services designed to support housing
13   stability; and
14  (5) Vermont increase the supply of interim shelter that is geographically
15   and physically accessible to individuals with a disability and that addresses the
16   range of needs among individuals with a disability.
17  * * * Emergency Temporary Shelter Program * * *
18   Sec. 2. 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is added to read:
19      CHAPTER 22. EMERGENCY TEMPORARY SHELTER PROGRAM
20   § 2209. EMERGENCY TEMPORARY SHELTER PROGRAM ADVISORY
21  COMMITTEE
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 3 of 105
 1      (a) Creation. There is created the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program
 2   Advisory Committee to provide advice and recommendations to the
 3   Commissioner regarding the implementation, administration, and operation of
 4   the Emergency Temporary Shelter Program from the perspective of individuals
 5   with lived experience of homelessness.
 6      (b) Membership. Each coordinated entry lead agency shall appoint an
 7   individual with lived experience of homelessness in Vermont to serve on the
 8   Advisory Committee established in this section. The Advisory Committee’s
 9   membership shall reflect the growing diversity among Vermonters, including
10   individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color, as well as with
11   regard to socioeconomic status, geographic location, gender, sexual identity,
12   and disability status.
13      (c) Assistance. The Advisory Committee shall have the administrative,
14   technical, and legal assistance of the Department for Children and Families.
15      (d) Meetings.
16  (1) The Commissioner shall call the first meeting of the Advisory
17   Committee to occur on or before July 15, 2025.
18  (2) The Committee shall select a chair or co-chairs from among its
19   members at the first meeting.
20  (3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 4 of 105
 1     (e) Compensation and reimbursement. Members of the Advisory
 2   Committee shall be entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement of
 3   expenses as permitted under 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more than 12 meetings
 4   annually. These payments shall be made from monies appropriated to the
 5   Department.
 6   Sec. 3. REPEAL; EMERGENCY TEMPORARY SHELTER PROGRAM
 7  ADVISORY COMMITTEE
 8     33 V.S.A. § 2209 (Emergency Temporary Shelter Program Advisory
 9   Committee) is repealed on July 1, 2029.
10   Sec. 4. 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is amended to read:
11      CHAPTER 22. EMERGENCY TEMPORARY SHELTER PROGRAM
12   § 2201. DEFINITIONS
13     As used in this chapter:
14        (1) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner for Children and
15   Families.
16        (2) “Community-based shelter” means a shelter that meets the Vermont
17   Housing Opportunity Grant Program’s Standards of Provision of Assistance.
18        (3) “Department” means the Department for Children and Families.
19        (4) “Household” means an individual and any dependents for whom the
20   individual is legally responsible and who live in Vermont. “Household”
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 5 of 105
 1   includes individuals who reside together as one economic unit, including those
 2   who are married, parties to a civil union, or unmarried.
 3  (5) “Statewide vacancy rate” means the Vermont-specific rental vacancy
 4   rate as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.
 5   § 2202. ESTABLISHMENT; EMERGENCY TEMPORARY SHELTER
 6  PROGRAM
 7      (a) The Emergency Temporary Shelter Program is established within the
 8   Department for Children and Families for the purpose of temporarily
 9   sheltering households pursuant to the eligibility criteria in section 2203 of this
10   chapter in a manner that ensures participant dignity and leads to greater
11   stability.
12      (b) Permissible shelter provided through this Program shall:
13  (1) include:
14  (A) community-based shelter provided by housing and shelter
15   operators, including community-based shelters for designated populations; and
16  (B) hotel and motel rooms only after the Department has exhausted
17   other means of providing community-based shelter; and
18  (2) limit relocation between community-based shelter sites.
19      (c)(1) If there is inadequate community-based shelter space available for a
20   household within the Agency of Human Services district in which the
21   household presents itself, the household shall be provided shelter in a hotel or
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 6 of 105
 1   motel within the district, if available, until adequate community-based shelter
 2   space becomes available in the district.
 3  (2) Annually, the Department shall propose hotel and motel rates
 4   through the budget process for consideration and approval by the General
 5   Assembly. If the Department determines that a contractual agreement with a
 6   hotel or motel operator to secure temporary emergency shelter capacity is
 7   beneficial to improve the quality, cleanliness, or access to services for those
 8   households temporarily sheltered in the facility, the Department shall be
 9   authorized to enter into such an agreement in accordance with the per-room
10   rate established by the General Assembly; provided, however, that in no event
11   shall such an agreement cause a household to become unhoused. The
12   Department may include provisions to address access to services or related
13   needs within the contractual agreement.
14  (3) The use of hotel and motel rooms shall be contingent on a
15   participating hotel or motel complying with the public accommodation act
16   pursuant to 9 V.S.A. chapter 139, holding a lodging license issued by the
17   Vermont Department of Health, and complying with the Licensed Lodging
18   Establishment Rule and the Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code. The
19   Department may withhold full or partial payment to any hotel or motel
20   operator who violates any law or rule or whose lodging license is suspended,
21   revoked, expired, or otherwise invalid. Specifically, the Department may
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 7 of 105
 1   withhold full or partial payment to hotel or motel operators to whom the
 2   Department of Health has issued a conditional license, abatement order,
 3   warning letter, or other notice of violation. Likewise, the Department may
 4   withhold full or partial payment to hotel or motel operators who have received
 5   notices from other State agencies that indicate that the hotel or motel operator
 6   has violated a law or rule. Once the Department is satisfied that the hotel or
 7   motel operator is complying with the law and any corresponding rules, the
 8   Department shall begin or resume payments at the contracted rate for lodging
 9   once the violation ended. The Department may provide all, some, or none of
10   the payments withheld based on the nature and extent of the legal violations
11   and the effects of those violations on Emergency Temporary Shelter Program
12   households.
13   § 2203. HOUSEHOLD ELIGIBILITY
14      To be eligible for the Program established in this chapter, a household shall
15   attest to lack of a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and have a
16   member who:
17  (1) is 60 years of age or older;
18  (2) has a disability that can be documented by:
19  (A) written verification of the disability from a professional licensed
20   by the State to diagnose and treat the disability and certification that the
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 8 of 105
 1   disability is expected to be long-continuing or of indefinite duration and
 2   substantially impedes the individual’s ability to live independently;
 3  (B) written verification from the Social Security Administration;
 4  (C) receipt of a disability check;
 5  (D) intake staff-recorded observation of a disability that, not later
 6   than 45 days after the application for assistance, is confirmed and accompanied
 7   by evidence of this; or
 8  (E) other documentation approved by either the Department or the
 9   U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development;
10  (3) is experiencing a serious short-term medical condition or has been
11   discharged from a health care facility where the individual was being treated
12   for a serious short-term medical condition within the last 30 days;
13  (4) is a child under 19 years of age;
14  (5) is in the third trimester of pregnancy or is experiencing an at-risk
15   pregnancy;
16  (6) has experienced the death of a spouse or domestic partner within the
17   last 30 days;
18  (7) has experienced a natural disaster, such as a flood, fire, or hurricane,
19   within the last 30 days;
20  (8) is under a court-ordered eviction or constructive eviction due to
21   circumstances over which the household has no control; or
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 9 of 105
 1  (9) is experiencing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault,
 2   stalking, human trafficking, hate violence, or other dangerous or life-
 3   threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a
 4   household member.
 5   § 2204. MAXIMUM DAYS OF ELIGIBILITY
 6      (a) The maximum number of days that a household receives shelter in a
 7   hotel or motel under this Program, per 12-month period, shall be determined
 8   by the statewide vacancy rate. If the statewide vacancy rate is:
 9  (1) less than five percent at the household’s time of application, the
10   household shall receive a maximum of 90 sheltered days under this Program
11   per 12-month period; or
12  (2) is equal to or greater than five percent at the household’s time of
13   application, the household shall receive a maximum of 45 sheltered days under
14   this Program per 12-month period.
15      (b) No periods of ineligibility shall be imposed on the use of a household’s
16   maximum permitted sheltered days.
17   § 2205. HOUSEHOLD PARTICIPATION
18      Unless the head of the household has a disability as evidenced by
19   subdivision 2203(2) of this chapter that prevents the head of household’s
20   ability to participate in coordinated entry and case management processes, a
21   participating household sheltered pursuant to this chapter shall participate in
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 10 of 105
 1   coordinated entry and case management processes if temporary emergency
 2   shelter in excess of 14 days is required, including cooperating with the
 3   Department and service providers on screening and care planning.
 4   § 2206. APPLICATION; NOTICE; APPEALS
 5      (a) All program applications and notices shall use plain language.
 6      (b) The Department shall provide written notice, and notice in the
 7   household’s preferred form of communication, of appeal rights related to
 8   departmental decisions made in the course of administering the Program
 9   established in this chapter, including appeal rights related to the denial of an
10   initial application.
11      (c) A household sheltered in accordance with this Program may continue to
12   remain sheltered while the appeal is pending until the household’s maximum
13   sheltered days for the current 12-month period have expired.
14   § 2207. MONTHLY REPORTING
15      Monthly, the Department shall post the following on its website:
16  (1) the annual total and average monthly number of households
17   participating in the Program by household size, by eligibility category, and by
18   each Agency of Human Services district;
19  (2) the number of alternative housing placements made during the
20   previous reporting period compared with the targeted number of placements
21   for that period;
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 11 of 105
 1  (3) of the households successfully placed in alternative housing during
 2   the previous month, the number of households whose screening indicated a
 3   potential need for services from each department within the Agency of Human
 4   Services;
 5  (4) the number of beds available for emergency housing in each Agency
 6   of Human Services district in the State, with separate reporting on the number
 7   of beds available in nursing homes and residential care homes for individuals
 8   whose screening indicates they could meet the clinical criteria for those
 9   settings and the number of emergency beds available for individuals whose
10   screening indicates they do not meet the clinical criteria, including low-barrier
11   shelters, beds for youth, and beds for individuals who have experienced
12   domestic violence;
13  (5) the number of households that have been successfully transitioned to
14   an alternative housing placement since the previous report was issued and the
15   types of housing settings in which they have been placed;
16  (6) the outlook for transitioning additional households to alternative
17   housing placements in the coming months, including an estimate of the
18   number of households likely to be placed per month;
19  (7) the number of and demographic information for households
20   obtaining shelter due to adverse weather conditions pursuant to section 2208 of
21   this chapter; and
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 12 of 105
 1  (8) the total amount of funds expended during the most recent quarter
 2   on housing placements and supportive services for households transitioning
 3   from the Program established in this chapter.
 4   § 2208. WINTER SHELTER
 5      To the extent funding and capacity exists and notwithstanding any
 6   provisions of this chapter to the contrary, the Department shall provide shelter
 7   to households lacking a fixed, regular, adequate, nighttime residence between
 8   November 15 and April 15. If there is inadequate community-based shelter
 9   space available within the Agency of Human Services district in which the
10   household presents itself, the household shall be provided shelter in a hotel or
11   motel within the district, if available, until adequate community-based shelter
12   space becomes available in the district. Shelter in a hotel or motel provided
13   pursuant to this section shall not count toward the maximum days of eligibility
14   per 12-month period provided in section 2204 of this chapter.
15  ***
16   Sec. 5. RULEMAKING; EMERGENCY TEMPORARY SHELTER
17  PROGRAM
18      On or before February 15, 2026, the Department for Children and Families
19   shall file an initial permanent proposed rule with the Secretary of State
20   pursuant to 3 V.S.A. § 836(a)(2) for the administration of the Emergency
21   Temporary Shelter Program established pursuant to 33 V.S.A. chapter 22.
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 13 of 105
 1   Prior to the adoption of the permanent rule, the Department shall file an
 2   emergency rule, which shall be deemed to have met the emergency rulemaking
 3   standard in 3 V.S.A. § 844(a), to enable the operation of the Emergency
 4   Temporary Shelter Program beginning on July 1, 2026.
 5       * * * Sunset of General Assistance Emergency Housing Program * * *
 6   Sec. 6. 33 V.S.A. § 2115 is amended to read:
 7   § 2115. GENERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM REPORT
 8      On or before September 1 of each year, the Commissioner for Children and
 9   Families shall submit a written report to the Joint Fiscal Committee; the House
10   Committees on Appropriations, on General, Housing, and Military Affairs, and
11   on Human Services; and the Senate Committees on Appropriations and on
12   Health and Welfare. The report shall contain the following:
13  (1) an evaluation of the General Assistance program during the previous
14   fiscal year;
15  (2) any recommendations for changes to the program;
16  (3) a plan for continued implementation of the program;
17  (4) statewide statistics using deidentified data related to the use of
18   emergency housing vouchers during the preceding State fiscal year, including
19   demographic information, client data, shelter and motel usage rates, clients’
20   primary stated cause of homelessness, and average lengths of stay in
21   emergency housing by demographic group and by type of housing; and
     BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
     2025  Page 14 of 105
 1  (5) other information the Commissioner deems appropriate. [Repealed.]
 2   Sec. 7. SUNSET; GENERAL ASSISTANCE EMERGENCY HOUSING
 3  PROGRAM
 4      The General Assistance Emergency Housing Program shall cease to exist on
 5   July 1, 2026 and all related rules shall become ineffective on that date,
 6   including those portions of Department for Children and Families, General
 7   Assistance (CVR 13-170-260) as amended by the Department for Children and
 8   Families under Secretary of State rule filing number 24-P42 and any future
 9   rule adopted by the Department pertaining to emergency housing.
10  * * * Effective Dates * * *
11   Sec. 8. EFFECTIVE DATES
12      This section, Sec. 1 (legislative intent), and Sec. 2 (Emergency Temporary
13   Shelter Program Advisory Committee) shall take effect on passage, and all
14   remaining sections shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
  * * * Findings and Legislative Intent * * *
     Sec. 1. FINDINGS
        The General Assembly finds that:
  (1)    according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
     Development’s 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Vermont had
     the fourth highest rate of homelessness in 2024 in that 53 of every 10,000
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 15 of 105
Vermonters are experiencing homelessness, with only Hawaii, New York, and
Oregon experiencing higher rates;
     (2) in 2023, according to the same Annual Homelessness Assessment
Report, 51 of every 10,000 Vermonters were experiencing homelessness;
     (3) according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, there were
approximately 3,458 unhoused individuals in Vermont, which represents a 300
percent increase over the 1,110 unhoused individuals prior to the COVID-19
pandemic in 2020;
     (4)   of the 3,458 unhoused individuals in Vermont identified by the
Vermont    2024     Point-in-Time   Count,      166   experienced   unsheltered
homelessness, which is the highest count of unsheltered homeless individuals in
Vermont within the past decade;
     (5) according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, over 35 percent
of those Vermonters experiencing homelessness were unhoused for more than
one year and over 72 percent were unhoused for more than 90 days;
     (6) according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, 737 of those
Vermonters experiencing homelessness were children and youth under 18 years
of age and 646 were 55 years of age or older;
     (7)      according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, Black
Vermonters are 5.6 times more likely to be unhoused as compared to white
Vermonters;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 16 of 105
      (8) the 2024 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment notes that 36,000
primary homes are needed in Vermont between 2025–2029, 3,295 of which are
needed to address homelessness; and
      (9) the 2024 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment notes that “[h]alf of
all Vermont renters are cost-burdened, and one-in-four pay more than 50
[percent] of their income on housing costs, putting them at high risk of
eviction,” which “is heightened by Vermont’s rental vacancy rate of 3
[percent], which is well below the 5 [percent] rate of a healthy market.”
Sec. 2. LEGISLATIVE INTENT
   (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that unsheltered homelessness
be eliminated and that homelessness in Vermont be rare, brief, and
nonrecurring.
   (b) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Vermont Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program
established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is a step toward ensuring that:
      (1)    homelessness be reduced in Vermont and interim shelter
opportunities be available to provide a stable pathway to permanent housing
for all Vermonters experiencing homelessness, including safe shelter options
for individuals living in unsheltered homelessness;
      (2)   Vermont increase the supply of emergency shelter as well as
permanent supportive housing that meets the specific needs of individuals;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 17 of 105
      (3)   community components of all shelter types are integrated in a
systemic manner;
      (4) time limits, night-by-night shelter, relocation between interim shelter
sites, and other disruptions in housing stability be eliminated to the extent
possible;
      (5) Vermont’s emergency housing statutes, rules, policies, procedures,
and practices be modeled on Housing First principles; and
      (6) noncongregate shelter be used to the extent possible.
   (c) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Vermont Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program
established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 replaces the provision of emergency
housing through the General Assistance Program established in 33 V.S.A.
chapter 21 and the Housing Opportunity Grant Program.
 * * * Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
  Housing Program * * *
Sec. 3. 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is added to read:
 CHAPTER 22. VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND
  RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING PROGRAM
§ 2201. SHORT TITLE
   The Program established in this chapter may be cited as “VHEARTH” or
the “VHEARTH Program.”
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 18 of 105
§ 2202. PURPOSE
   It is the purpose of the General Assembly to replace the provision of
emergency housing through the General Assistance Program established in
chapter 21 of this title and the Housing Opportunity Grant Program and use
funds and resources previously attributed to those programs, and any other
identified State and federal monies, to fund the Vermont Homeless Emergency
Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program established in this
chapter.
§ 2203. DEFINITIONS
   As used in this chapter:
      (1) “At-risk of homelessness” means in peril of imminently losing a
primary, night-time residence or precariously housed.
      (2) “Community action agency” means an agency designated pursuant
to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59.
      (3)   “Community-based shelter” means a shelter that meets the
Department’s standards for the operation of shelters.
      (4) “Department” means the Department for Children and Families.
      (5) “Extreme weather event” means extreme hot or cold temperatures or
weather events, such as hurricanes, flooding, or blizzards, that create
hazardous conditions for outdoor habitation by humans.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 19 of 105
  (6) “Homeless” means lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime
residence.
  (7) “Household” means an individual and any dependents for whom the
individual is legally responsible and who live and intend to stay in Vermont.
“Household” includes individuals who reside together as one economic unit,
including those who are married, parties to a civil union, or unmarried.
  (8)     “Unsheltered homelessness” means sleeping in a location not
designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation.
§ 2204. ESTABLISHMENT; VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY
  ASSISTANCE AND RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING
  PROGRAM
   (a)  The Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive
Transition to Housing Program is established in the Department and shall be
operated by community action agencies and a statewide organization serving
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual
violence, to the extent funds exist.
   (b) Community action agencies shall collaborate with other community
partners, including municipalities, the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance,
Balance of State Continuum of Care, and local housing coalitions.  The
Program shall utilize coordinated entry and shall utilize, but not duplicate, the
work of the community partners. It shall include the following components:
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 20 of 105
  (1) supportive services pursuant to section 2205 of this chapter to assist
households experiencing homelessness or those households that are at-risk of
homelessness pursuant to section 2205 of this chapter:
  (2) extreme weather event shelters operated or caused to be operated by
a community action agency pursuant section 2206 of this chapter; and
  (3)    emergency shelters operated or caused to be operated by a
community action agency pursuant to section 2207 of this chapter.
   (c)  The Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive
Transition to Housing Program shall include supportive services and shelters
specific to households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic
and sexual violence, which shall be provided or caused to be provided by a
statewide organization with population-specific service experience pursuant to
section 2208 of this section.
§ 2205. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
   A community action agency, in collaboration with other community
partners, shall offer or cause to be offered the following supportive services,
which may vary in terms of manner and extent depending on the level of
shelter a household utilizes or whether the household is at risk of homelessness
or experiencing homelessness:
  (1) intake assessments and services for diversion from homelessness;
  (2) household needs assessments;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 21 of 105
      (3) individualized household plans to address identified needs;
      (4)     assistance obtaining and retaining housing, including financial
assistance;
      (5) referrals to other services and supports;
      (6) peer-supported services;
      (7) landlord-tenant outreach, education, and conflict resolution;
      (8) housing navigation services;
      (9) advocacy; and
      (10) progress monitoring and interventions.
§ 2206. EXTREME WEATHER EVENT SHELTER
   A community action agency shall operate or cause to be operated shelters
in the State that shall be used during extreme weather events to shelter any
homeless individual who seeks shelter. The community action agencies, in
collaboration with community partners, shall prioritize funding for extreme
weather event shelters by utilizing data available under this section and
considering geographic access.       A shelter offered pursuant to this section
during an extreme weather event may include time-limited congregate
accommodations and may be provided through agreements to municipalities or
other entities.
§ 2207. EMERGENCY SHELTERS
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 22 of 105
   (a) Temporary shelter. At a minimum, a community action agency shall
serve or cause to be served in a manner that complies with and builds upon the
federally required community planning process, households that are prioritized
and in need of the services of a temporary shelter. A community action agency
may provide or cause to be provided temporary shelter through community-
based shelters, temporary use of hotels or motels, lease agreements for full or
partial use of an existing building, need-specific shelter arrangements, or
other arrangements or combinations of arrangements that comply with the
intent of this chapter.
   (b) Transitional shelter. A community action agency shall serve or cause to
be served households in its region in need of the services of a transitional
shelter in a manner that complies with and builds upon the federally required
community planning process. A community action agency may provide or
cause to be provided transitional shelter through community-based shelter,
master grant leases, developing shelter capacity, or other arrangements or
combinations of arrangements that comply with the intent of this chapter.
§ 2208. SUPPORTIVE AND SHELTER SERVICES FOR HOUSEHOLDS
  IMPACTED BY DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE
   As part of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive
Transition to Housing Program, the Department shall enter into an agreement
with a statewide organization with population-specific experience serving
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 23 of 105
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic and sexual
violence. The organization shall provide or cause to be provided various
shelter and case management services that support households.
§ 2209. VHEARTH; DUTIES OF COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES
   (a)     The community action agencies shall serve or cause to be served
households that are experiencing homelessness or that are at risk of
homelessness in the State by providing supportive services, extreme weather
event shelter, or emergency shelter pursuant to sections 2204–2207 of this
chapter. If a community action agency cannot fulfil its responsibilities under
this chapter, the Department shall work with other community action agencies
or other appropriate community entities to ensure that there is not a gap in
services in a community action agency’s region.
   (b) A community action agency providing or causing to provide services in
accordance with this chapter shall:
  (1) have existing or planned infrastructure to support households in the
region, including an established leadership team, a human resources staff, and
the ability to receive grant funding and issue subgrants;
  (2) have the ability to meet the Department’s reporting requirements,
including past history of reporting compliance;
  (3) have community connections with other providers in the region,
including local housing coalitions, housing providers, providers of coordinated
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 24 of 105
entry, and providers of services to individuals who are older Vermonters,
individuals who have disabilities, substance use disorder, or a mental health
condition; individuals reentering the community after incarceration;
individuals transitioning from the care and custody of the Commissioner for
Children and Families; and families with children; and
      (4) provide plain language communications to households receiving
services.
§ 2210. VHEARTH; DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
   (a) The Agency of Human Services, working with the Department, shall
have statewide responsibility for meeting the intent of this chapter, including
statewide planning, system development, and the involvement of all the
Agency’s departments.
   (b) For the purpose of providing administrative oversight and monitoring
of the Program established in this chapter, the Department shall:
      (1)(A) adopt guidance regarding when extreme weather event shelters
shall be operated, including flexibility for regional weather conditions; and
  (B) maintain a website with the locations of all extreme weather
event shelters;
      (2) include as part of any review of a community action agency required
pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59, the community action agency’s ability to
perform the requirements of this chapter;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 25 of 105
     (3)(A) consult with the community action agencies and the statewide
organization serving households that are experiencing or that have
experienced domestic and sexual violence pursuant to section 2208 of this
chapter, to develop appropriate resource allocations and methods for
adjustment that take into account available data, the presence of community-
based providers, and customary resource allocation methods, economic
indicators, rate of homelessness, rental vacancy rates, and other variables, as
appropriate; and
  (B) annually, distribute funding to each community action agency
and the statewide organization serving households that are experiencing or
that have experienced domestic and sexual violence pursuant to section 2208
of this chapter using the allocation formula developed pursuant to subdivision
(A) of this subdivision (3), or if the Department and community action
agencies agree, disperse a joint allocation for all community action agencies,
which the community action agencies shall determine how to distribute
amongst themselves;
     (4)     consult with the community action agencies and the statewide
organization serving households that are experiencing or that have
experienced domestic and sexual violence pursuant to section 2208 of this
chapter to develop appropriate measures and methods for accountability of the
community action agencies’ and the statewide organization’s execution of
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 26 of 105
duties under this chapter, including the provision of any previously agreed
upon information to enable the Department to evaluate the services provided
through grant funds, the effect on households receiving services, and an
accounting of expended grant funds;
      (5) provide support and technical assistance to the community action
agencies, other community partners, and the statewide organization serving
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic and sexual
violence pursuant to section 2208 of this chapter;
      (6) identify specific administrative resources that could be transitioned
to community operations;
      (7) develop and submit standards for the operation of community-based
shelters;
      (8) adopt rules pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 25, in consultation with the
community action agencies and the statewide organization serving households
that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic and sexual violence
pursuant to section 2208 of this chapter, as appropriate, for the
implementation of this chapter, including accommodations for individuals with
a disability.
§ 2211. REGIONAL PLANNING; NEEDS ASSESSMENTS
   (a) As part of the plan required pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 and the
federally required planning and needs assessments for the continuums of care,
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 27 of 105
the community action agencies shall develop a regional needs assessment and
planning process, in collaboration with community and State partners, for use
in each community action agency’s region to inform future plans addressing
housing and homelessness in each region of the State. The plans shall include:
     (1)    addressing progress in reducing the number of households
experiencing homelessness in a region;
     (2) assessing the rate households placed in permanent housing return to
homelessness and the underlying reasons;
     (3) identifying resources developed and utilized in the region to address
homelessness;
     (4) reporting the rate of household participation with coordinated entry
processes and case management services;
     (5) identifying system gaps and the funding needed to address those
gaps, including periodic inflationary adjustments; and
     (6)     utilizing data, including Vermont’s Point-in-Time Count,
coordinated entry assessment results, and community conversations.
  (b) Each community action agency shall submit plans developed pursuant
to this section to the Department in a format prescribed by the Department.
The Department shall aggregate the results of these reports and submit the
aggregated report to the House Committee on Human Services and to the
Senate Committee on Health and Welfare.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 28 of 105
§ 2212. USE OF HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOMS
  (a) Hotels and motels providing emergency shelter pursuant to this chapter
shall comply with Program rules and shall comply with the following:
     (1) Department of Health, Licensed Lodging Establishment Rule (CVR
13-140-023); and
     (2) Department of Public Safety, Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code
(CVR 28-070-001).
  (b) Annually, the Department shall propose hotel and motel rates as part of
its budget presentation for approval by the General Assembly. A community
action agency shall not pay or cause to be paid with State monies a per room,
per night basis that exceeds the rate approved by the General Assembly.
  (c) To the extent possible, if a hotel or motel is being utilized:
     (1) a community action agency shall enter into agreements for the use of
blocks of hotel and motel rooms and negotiate the conditions of use for those
blocks, including access for providers of case management or other supportive
services; and
     (2)   prioritize the use of hotel and motel room agreements over
individual per-room, per-night hotel or motel room use, unless it is not
appropriate to a household’s needs.
Sec. 4. VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND
        RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING PROGRAM
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 29 of 105
  IMPLEMENTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
   (a)      Creation.    There is created the Vermont Homeless Emergency
Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program Implementation
Advisory Committee to provide advice and recommendations to the
Commissioner for Children and Families and to the community action
agencies as defined in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 regarding the design,
implementation, and transition to the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance
and Responsive Transition to Housing Program established in 33 V.S.A.
chapter 22, including advice and recommendations on the implementation plan
required pursuant to Sec. 5 of this act.
   (b) Membership. The Advisory Committee’s membership shall reflect the
growing diversity among Vermonters, including individuals who are Black,
Indigenous, and Persons of Color, as well as with regard to socioeconomic
status, geographic location, gender, sexual identity, and disability status and
shall be composed of:
  (1) five representatives with lived experience of homelessness, appointed
by the Chittenden County Homeless Alliance and the Balance of State
Continuum of Care;
  (2) five representatives, one appointed by each of the community action
agencies;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 30 of 105
        (3) one representative, appointed by the Chittenden County Homeless
Alliance;
        (4) one representative, appointed by the Balance of State Continuum of
Care;
        (5) five representatives of local housing coalitions, including at least
two of whom are shelter providers, appointed jointly by the Chittenden County
Homeless Alliance and the Balance of State Continuum of Care;
        (6)   the Deputy Commissioner of the Department for Children and
Families’ Economic Services Division or designee; and
        (7) the Director of the Department for Children and Families’ Office of
Economic Opportunity or designee.
   (c) Assistance. The Advisory Committee shall have the administrative,
technical, and legal assistance of the Department for Children and Families.
   (d) Meetings.
        (1)   The Commissioner shall call the first meeting of the Advisory
Committee to occur on or before July 15, 2025.
        (2) The Committee shall select co-chairs from among its members at the
first meeting at least one of whom is not a State employee.
        (3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum.
        (4) The Advisory Committee may divide into subcommittees to carry out
its duties under this section and subcommittees may include individuals not
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 31 of 105
appointed to the Advisory Committee pursuant to subsection (b) of this section,
including representatives of individuals who are older Vermonters, individuals
who have disabilities, substance use disorder, or a mental health condition;
individuals reentering the community after incarceration; individuals
transitioning from the care and custody of the Commissioner for Children and
Families; and families with children.
   (e)   Compensation and reimbursement.  Members of the Advisory
Committee shall be entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement of
expenses as permitted under 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more than 12 meetings
annually. These payments shall be made from monies appropriated to the
Department.
   (f) Sunset. The Advisory Committee shall cease to exist on July 1, 2029.
Sec. 5. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
   On or before February 1, 2026, the Department for Children and Families,
in collaboration with community action agencies and in consultation with the
departments of the Agency of Human Services and the Vermont Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program
Implementation Advisory Committee established pursuant to Sec. 4 of this act,
shall submit a plan to the House Committee on Human Services and to the
Senate Committee on Health and Welfare for the implementation of the
Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 32 of 105
Housing Program established by 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 that ensures maximum
flexibility for the use of resources and streamlines processes for Program
participants. Specifically, the implementation plan shall address:
      (1) funding allocations among the community action agencies and other
providers, including for services specific to households that are experiencing
or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence;
      (2) additional State and federal funding and other resources identified
for the Program;
      (3) appropriate measures and methods of accountability in fulfilling the
intent of this act for community action agencies, the organization serving
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic and sexual
violence, and community partners;
      (4) appropriate supportive services specific to the level of shelter a
household utilizes, or whether the household is at risk of homelessness, or
experiencing unsheltered homelessness;
      (5) establishing an appeals process that includes a hearing before the
Human Services Board and an option for an expedited appeals process;
      (6) expanded use of 211 within the intake system;
      (7)   whether continuation in emergency shelter should include an
expectation regarding household participation in case management services or
other expectations such as night limits on the use of hotels and motels, and if
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 33 of 105
so, what elements and in what circumstances participation in case
management services or other expectations should be applied;
      (8)   whether the use of emergency shelter should include financial
participation, and if so, what that participation should include;
      (9) how prioritization should occur for emergency temporary shelter
and what priority categories should exist within those parameters;
      (10) how to best ensure that there is equitable access to shelter and
supportive services for households experiencing homelessness;
      (11) the appropriate level of required intake and assessment processes
for each of the various levels of shelter that a household may utilize for
households that are at risk of homelessness and for households experiencing
unsheltered homelessness; and
      (12) any anticipated challenges requiring a legislative solution.
  * * * Community Action Agencies * * *
Sec. 6. 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 is amended to read:
       CHAPTER 59. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCIES
§ 3901. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE
   (a) Recognizing that the economic well-being and social equity of every
Vermonter has long been a fundamental concern of the State, it remains
evident that poverty continues to be the lot of a substantial number of
Vermont’s population continues to experience poverty. It is the policy of this
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 34 of 105
the State to help develop the full potential of each of its citizens so they can
contribute to the fullest extent possible to the life of our communities and the
State as a whole.
   (b)     It is the purpose of this chapter to strengthen, supplement, and
coordinate efforts that further this policy through:
  (1)      the strengthening of community capabilities for planning,
coordinating, and managing federal, State, and other sources of assistance
related to the problem of poverty;
  (2) the better organization and utilization of a range of services related
to the needs of the poor individuals with low income; and
  (3) the broadening of the resource base of programs to secure a more
active role in assisting the poor individuals with low income from business,
labor, and other groups from the private sector.
§ 3902. OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
   (a)  The Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity is hereby
authorized to allocate available financial assistance for community services
action agencies and programs in accordance with State and federal law and
regulation.
   (b) The Director may provide financial assistance to community services
action agencies for the planning, conduct, administration, and evaluation of
community service action programs to provide a range of services and
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 35 of 105
activities having a measurable and potentially major impact on causes of
poverty in the community or in areas of the community where poverty is a
particularly acute problem. Components of those services and activities may
involve, without limitation of other activities and supporting facilities designed
to assist low income participants with low income:
      (1) to secure and retain meaningful employment;
      (2) to obtain adequate education;
      (3) to make better use of available income;
      (4) to provide and maintain adequate housing and a suitable living
environment have access to safe, secure, permanent housing;
      (5) to obtain prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services
for the prevention of narcotics addiction, alcoholism, and for the rehabilitation
of narcotic addicts and alcoholics individuals with substance use disorder;
      (6) to obtain emergency assistance through loans and grants to meet
immediate and urgent individual and family needs, including the need for
health services,    nutritious   food,   housing,    and   unemployment-related
assistance;
      (7) to remove obstacles and solve personal and family problems which
that block achievement of self-sufficiency;
      (8) to achieve greater participation in the affairs of the community;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 36 of 105
      (9) to make more frequent and effective use of other programs related to
the purposes of this chapter; and
      (10) to coordinate and establish linkages between governmental and
other social service programs to assure ensure the effective delivery of such
services to low-income persons; with low income and to encourage the use of
entities in the private sector of the community in efforts to ameliorate poverty
in the community.
   (c) The Director is authorized to adopt rules pursuant to chapter 25 of this
title appropriate to the carrying out of this chapter and the purposes thereof.
§ 3903. DESIGNATION OF AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND
  ACTIVITIES TO AMELIORATE OR ELIMINATE POVERTY
   The Director shall designate private nonprofit community based
organizations who that have demonstrated or who that can demonstrate the
ability to provide services and activities as defined in subsection 3902(b) of
this title as community services action agencies.
§ 3904. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCY PLAN
   Each designated community services action agency shall determine the
need for activities and services within the area served by the agency and shall
thereafter prepare a community services plan which that describes the method
by which the agency will provide those services. The plan shall include a
schedule for the anticipated provision of new or additional services and shall
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 37 of 105
specify the resources which that are needed by and available to the agency to
implement the plan. The community services plan shall be completed every
three years and updated annually. The plan shall include the regional needs
assessment required under 33 V.S.A. § 2211.
§ 3905. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCIES;
  ADMINISTRATION
   (a) Each community services action agency shall administer its programs
as set out in the community services plan and as approved by its board of
directors.
   (b)     Each board of a nonprofit community-based organization that is
designated a community services action agency under section 3903 of this
chapter shall have an executive committee of not more than seven members
who shall be representative of the composition of the board and the board shall
be so constituted that:
  ***
  (2)    one-third of the members of the board are persons chosen in
accordance with election procedures adequate to assure ensure that they are
representative of the poor individuals with low income in the area served; and
  (3) the remainder of the members of the board are officials or members
of business, industry, labor, religious, welfare, education, or other major
groups and interests in the community.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 38 of 105
   (c) Each member of the a board selected to represent a specific geographic
area within a community shall reside in the area he or she the member
represents. No person selected under subdivisions (2) or (3) of subsection (b)
as a member of a board shall serve on such board for more than five
consecutive years, or more than a total of 10 years Each board shall adopt
term limits to govern its members.
  * * * Appropriations * * *
Sec. 7. APPROPRIATION; TRANSITION PLANNING
   In fiscal year 2026, $10,000,000.00 of one-time funding is appropriated
from the General Fund as follows:
      (1) $6,500,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families for
distribution to the community action agencies and the statewide organization
serving households experiencing or who have experienced domestic and sexual
violence;
      (2)   $500,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families for
contractual and other system transformation assistance; and
      (3) $3,000,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families for the
continued development of shelter capacity in the State.
Sec. 8. FUTURE APPROPRIATIONS; LEGISLATIVE INTENT
   It is the intent of the General Assembly that in fiscal year 2027 and
thereafter, equivalent funds and resources, base and one-time, used in fiscal
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 39 of 105
year 2025 for General Assistance emergency housing and the Housing
Opportunity Grant Program be redesignated for the Vermont Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program
pursuant to 33 V.S.A. chapter 22.
  * * * Effective Dates * * *
Sec. 9. EFFECTIVE DATES
   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025, except that Sec. 3 (Vermont
Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing
Program) shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
  * * * Findings and Legislative Intent * * *
Sec. 1. FINDINGS
   The General Assembly finds that:
      (1)   according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development’s 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Vermont had
the fourth highest rate of homelessness in 2024 in that 53 of every 10,000
Vermonters are experiencing homelessness, with only Hawaii, New York, and
Oregon experiencing higher rates;
      (2) in 2023, according to the same Annual Homelessness Assessment
Report, 51 of every 10,000 Vermonters were experiencing homelessness;
      (3) according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, there were
approximately 3,458 unhoused individuals in Vermont, which represents a 300
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 40 of 105
percent increase over the 1,110 unhoused individuals prior to the COVID-19
pandemic in 2020;
     (4)   of the 3,458 unhoused individuals in Vermont identified by the
Vermont    2024     Point-in-Time   Count,      166   experienced   unsheltered
homelessness, which is the highest count of unsheltered homeless individuals in
Vermont within the past decade;
     (5) according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, over 35 percent
of those Vermonters experiencing homelessness were unhoused for more than
one year and over 72 percent were unhoused for more than 90 days;
     (6) according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, 737 of those
Vermonters experiencing homelessness were children and youth under 18 years
of age and 646 were 55 years of age or older;
     (7)      according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, Black
Vermonters are 5.6 times more likely to be unhoused as compared to white
Vermonters;
     (8) the 2024 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment notes that 36,000
primary homes are needed in Vermont between 2025–2029, 3,295 of which are
needed to address homelessness;
     (9) the 2024 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment notes that “[h]alf of
all Vermont renters are cost-burdened, and one-in-four pay more than 50
[percent] of their income on housing costs, putting them at high risk of
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 41 of 105
eviction,” which “is heightened by Vermont’s rental vacancy rate of 3
[percent], which is well below the 5 [percent] rate of a healthy market”; and
        (10) since 2020, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board has
constructed 170 new single-family homeownership units and 269 new shelter
beds.
Sec. 2. LEGISLATIVE INTENT
   (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that unsheltered homelessness
be eliminated and that homelessness in Vermont be rare, brief, and
nonrecurring.
   (b) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Vermont Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program
established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is a step toward ensuring that:
        (1)    homelessness be reduced in Vermont and interim shelter
opportunities be available to provide a stable pathway to permanent housing
for all Vermonters experiencing homelessness, including safe shelter options
for individuals living in unsheltered homelessness;
        (2)   Vermont increase the supply of emergency shelter as well as
permanent supportive housing that meets the specific needs of individuals;
        (3)   community components of all shelter types are integrated in a
systemic manner;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 42 of 105
      (4) time limits, night-by-night shelter, relocation between interim shelter
sites, and other disruptions in housing stability be eliminated to the extent
possible;
      (5) Vermont’s emergency housing statutes, rules, policies, procedures,
and practices be modeled on Housing First principles where appropriate;
      (6) noncongregate shelter be used to the extent possible; and
      (7) Vermont reduce reliance on the inefficient use of hotel and motel
rooms to shelter participating households and expand the use of emergency
shelters throughout the State for this purpose.
   (c) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Vermont Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program
established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 replaces the provision of emergency
housing through the General Assistance Program established in 33 V.S.A.
chapter 21 beginning in fiscal year 2027 and the Housing Opportunity Grant
Program beginning in fiscal year 2028.
 * * * Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
  Housing Program; Effective July 1, 2025 * * *
Sec. 3. 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is added to read:
 CHAPTER 22. VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND
  RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING PROGRAM
§ 2201. SHORT TITLE
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 43 of 105
   The Program established in this chapter may be cited as “VHEARTH” or
the “VHEARTH Program.”
§ 2202. PURPOSE
   It is the purpose of the General Assembly to:
      (1) replace the provision of emergency housing through the General
Assistance Program established in chapter 21 of this title and use funds and
resources previously attributed to this program, and any other identified State
and federal monies, to fund the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program established in this chapter;
      (2) reduce reliance on the inefficient use of hotel and motel rooms to
shelter participating households and expand the use of emergency shelters
throughout the State for this purpose; and
      (3) assist in maintaining housing for households at-risk of homelessness
and transition households experiencing homelessness to permanent housing.
§ 2203. DEFINITIONS
   As used in this chapter:
      (1)   “At-risk of homelessness” means precariously housed without
sufficient income, resources, or support to prevent homelessness.
      (2) “Community action agency” means an agency designated pursuant
to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 44 of 105
      (3)      “Community-based shelter” means a shelter that meets the
Department’s standards for the operation of shelters.
      (4) “Department” means the Department for Children and Families.
      (5) “Extreme weather event” means extreme hot or cold temperatures or
weather events, such as hurricanes, flooding, or blizzards, that create
hazardous conditions for outdoor habitation by humans.
      (6) “Homeless” means:
  (A) lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;
  (B) facing imminent loss of primary nighttime residence;
  (C) fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence; or
  (D) otherwise defined as homeless under federal law.
      (7) “Household” means an individual and any dependents for whom the
individual is legally responsible who are domiciled in Vermont as evidenced by
an intent to dwell in Vermont and to return to Vermont if temporarily absent,
coupled with an act or acts consistent with that intent. “Household” includes
individuals who reside together as one economic unit, including those who are
married, parties to a civil union, or unmarried.
      (8)     “Unsheltered homelessness” means sleeping in a location not
designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation.
§ 2204. REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 45 of 105
   (a)     Each community action agency shall convene a regional advisory
council whose membership reflects, to the extent possible, the growing
diversity among Vermonters, including individuals who are Black, Indigenous,
and Persons of Color, as well as with regards to socioeconomic status,
geographic location, gender, sexual identity, and disability status. Members of
an advisory council shall include organizations providing services in the
region, the Department, and representatives of the Agency and each
department of the Agency, as needed.        A regional advisory council may
collaborate with individuals with lived experience of homelessness, community
partners, State partners, housing providers, local housing coalitions, statewide
homelessness organizations, providers of coordinated entry, continuums of
care, faith-based organizations, and municipalities in the region served by the
community action agency.
   (b)       Each regional advisory council shall provide advice and
recommendations to the community action agency in its region regarding the
design and implementation of the Program.  The work of each regional
advisory council shall be informed by regional planning commissions’ housing
targets.
   (c) Each regional advisory council shall meet on at least a quarterly basis.
   (d)     The regional advisory councils shall have the legal and technical
support of the Department.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 46 of 105
 * * * Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
  Housing Program; Effective July 1, 2026 * * *
Sec. 4. 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is amended to read:
 CHAPTER 22. VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND
  RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING PROGRAM
  ***
§ 2203. DEFINITIONS
   As used in this chapter:
  ***
      (2) “Community action agency” means an agency designated pursuant
to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 or the entity or entities otherwise authorized by the
Department pursuant to section 2205 of this chapter to fulfill the duties of a
community action agency under this chapter.
  ***
§ 2204. ESTABLISHMENT; VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY
  ASSISTANCE AND RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING
  PROGRAM
   The Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
Housing Program is established in the Department to provide services to
households that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, to the extent
funds exist.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 47 of 105
  (1) The Department shall select and enter into an agreement with a
statewide organization that has population-specific service experience to
provide or cause to be provided supportive services and shelter to those
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual
violence.
  (2) All other participating households shall be served by or through a
community action agency responsible for a geographically distinct region of
the State.     Community action agencies participating in the Program shall
provide or cause to be provided supportive services, extreme weather event
shelter, and emergency shelter.
§ 2205. AUTHORIZATION PROCESS; REAUTHORIZATION REVIEW
   (a)     The Department shall select and enter into an agreement with a
statewide organization to provide or cause to be provided supportive services
and shelter to those households that are experiencing or that have experienced
domestic or sexual violence. The Department shall conduct regular reviews of
the statewide organization to ensure compliance with this chapter.  The
statewide organization may be subject to corrective actions by the Department
if, within the constraint of appropriated resources, it no longer meets the
requirements of this chapter or has failed to adequately meet the needs of
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual
violence. If the statewide organization cannot fulfill its responsibilities under
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 48 of 105
this chapter, the Department shall work with another entity to ensure that there
is not a gap in services.
   (b)(1) The Department shall authorize a community action agency to serve
or cause to be served households that are homeless or at risk of becoming
homeless in a geographically distinct region of the State if it meets the criteria
in this section. If a community action agency cannot fulfill its responsibilities
under this chapter, the Department shall work with other community action
agencies or other appropriate community entities to ensure that there is not a
gap in services in a community action agency’s region.
      (2) A community action agency providing or causing to provide services
in accordance with this chapter shall have:
  (A) existing or planned infrastructure to support households in the
region, including an established leadership team, a human resources staff, and
the ability to receive grant funding and issue subgrants;
  (B)   the ability to meet the Department’s reporting requirements,
including having a past history of reporting compliance;
  (C) the capacity to perform the core services required pursuant to
section 2206 of this chapter;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 49 of 105
  (D) the capacity to seek and accept charitable contributions, grants,
and services of volunteers, including money, clothing, and furniture;
  (E) any outcome measures established in this chapter;
  (F)    community connections with other providers in the region,
including local housing coalitions, housing providers, providers of coordinated
entry, continuums of care, faith-based organizations, and providers of services
to individuals who are older Vermonters; individuals who have disabilities, a
substance use disorder, or a mental health condition; individuals reentering the
community after incarceration; individuals transitioning from the care and
custody of the Commissioner for Children and Families; and families with
children; and
  (G)    the ability to provide plain language communications to
households receiving services.
      (3) Not less than every three years, the Department shall conduct a
reauthorization review of each community action agency providing or causing
to provide services pursuant to this chapter. An organization may be subject to
corrective actions by the Department if, within the constraint of appropriated
resources, it no longer meets the requirements in subdivision (2) of this
subsection or has failed to adequately meet the needs of households in its
region that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Lack of compliance may
result in the Department deciding not to reauthorize the community action
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 50 of 105
agency.      The Department may review progress of any previously required
corrective actions and may review community action agency performance
between reauthorization reviews.
§ 2206. VHEARTH CORE SERVICES
   (a)     The Department shall enter into an agreement with a statewide
organization with population-specific experience serving households that are
experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence.  The
organization shall provide or cause to be provided various shelter and case
management services that support households.
   (b) Each community action agency shall offer or cause to be offered, in
collaboration with community partners, each of the following services within
its region:
  (1) supportive services, including:
  (A) intake assessments and services for diversion from homelessness,
which shall include regional intake shelters;
  (B) household needs assessments;
  (C) individualized household plans to address identified needs;
  (D) housing navigation and retention services;
  (E) assistance obtaining and retaining housing, including financial
assistance;
  (F) landlord-tenant outreach, education, and conflict resolution;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 51 of 105
  (G) navigation to other services and supports as identified in the
household’s housing plan, including economic benefits, peer-supported
services, job training and employment services, services related to disability
and independent living, and referral to health care assistance such as
treatment for mental health conditions and substance use disorder as provided
by the designated and specialized services agencies and preferred providers,
respectively;
  (H) advocacy; and
  (I) progress monitoring and interventions; and
      (2) the operation of extreme weather event shelters, which may include
time-limited congregate accommodations and may be provided through
agreements with municipalities or other entities, utilizing available data and
considering geographic access to prioritize funding for this purpose; and
      (3) the operation of emergency shelters in a manner that builds upon the
federally required community planning process and prioritizes households in
need of the services of an emergency shelter, which may include community-
based shelters, temporary use of hotels or motels, lease agreements for full or
partial use of an existing building, need-specific shelter arrangements, master
grant leases, the development of shelter capacity, or other arrangements or
combinations of arrangements that comply with the intent of this chapter.
§ 2207. USE OF HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOMS
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 52 of 105
   (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to decrease reliance on hotel
and motel rooms for emergency housing.  Annually, as shelter capacity
increases in each region of the State, the use of hotel and motel rooms for
emergency housing in that region shall decrease. Annually, as part of the
Department’s budget presentation, the Department shall set goals for
increased housing capacity, including shelter beds, permanent supportive
housing, and permanent affordable housing, in addition to proposed
corresponding decreases in the use of hotel and motel rooms. The Department
shall provide data pertaining to the percentage of increased shelter capacity
from the previous fiscal year in each region and how that increase impacts the
corresponding hotel and motel room usage for emergency housing in each
region pursuant to this subsection for the purpose of informing regional
planning and expectations.
   (b) If hotels and motels are used to provide emergency shelter pursuant to
this chapter, the hotel and motel operators shall comply with Program rules
and the following rules:
      (1) Department of Health, Licensed Lodging Establishment Rule (CVR
13-140-023); and
      (2) Department of Public Safety, Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code
(CVR 28-070-001).
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 53 of 105
  (c) Annually, the Department shall propose hotel and motel rates as part of
its budget presentation for approval by the General Assembly. A community
action agency shall not pay or cause to be paid with State monies a per room,
per night basis that exceeds the rate approved by the General Assembly.
  (d) If a hotel or motel is being utilized, a community action agency:
        (1) shall enter into agreements for the use of blocks of hotel and motel
rooms and negotiate the conditions of use for those blocks, including access
for providers of case management or other supportive services;
        (2) shall prioritize the use of hotel and motel room agreements over
individual per room, per night hotel or motel room use, unless it is not
appropriate to a household’s needs; and
        (3) may use strategic placements to the extent certain populations are
not isolated from the wider community served through the Program.
§ 2208. VHEARTH; DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
  (a)     The Department and the Agency of Human Services shall have
statewide responsibility for meeting the intent of this chapter, including
statewide planning, system development, proposing adequate funding, and the
involvement of all the Agency’s departments.
  (b) For the purpose of providing administrative oversight and monitoring
of the Program established in this chapter, the Department shall:
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 54 of 105
      (1)(A)      maintain guidance regarding when extreme weather event
shelters shall be operated, including flexibility for regional weather
conditions; and
  (B) maintain a website with the locations of all extreme weather
event shelters;
      (2) include as part of any review of a community action agency required
pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 the community action agency’s ability to
perform the requirements of this chapter;
      (3)(A) consult with the community action agencies and the statewide
organization serving households that are experiencing or that have
experienced domestic or sexual violence to develop appropriate resource
allocations and methods for adjustment that take into account available data,
the presence of community-based providers, and customary resource allocation
methods, economic indicators, rate of homelessness, rental vacancy rates, and
other variables, as appropriate; and
  (B) annually, distribute funding to each community action agency
and the statewide organization serving households that are experiencing or
that have experienced domestic or sexual violence using the allocation formula
developed pursuant to subdivision (A) of this subdivision (b)(3), or if the
Department and community action agencies agree, disperse a joint allocation
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 55 of 105
for all community action agencies, which the community action agencies shall
determine how to distribute amongst themselves;
      (4) provide support and technical assistance to the community action
agencies, other community partners, and the statewide organization serving
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual
violence;
      (5) identify specific administrative resources that could be transitioned
to community operations;
      (6) develop and maintain standards for the core services listed in section
2206 of this chapter, including the operation of community-based shelters; and
      (7) adopt rules pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 25, in consultation with the
community action agencies and the statewide organization serving households
that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence, as
appropriate, for the implementation of this chapter, including accommodations
for individuals with a disability.
§ 2209. REGIONAL PLANNING; NEEDS ASSESSMENTS
   (a) As part of the plan required every three years pursuant to 3 V.S.A.
§ 3904 and the federally required planning and needs assessments for the
continuums of care, the community action agencies shall develop a regional
needs assessment and planning process, in collaboration with community and
State partners, for use in each community action agency’s region to inform
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 56 of 105
future plans addressing housing and homelessness in each region of the State.
The regional needs assessment and planning process plans shall include:
      (1)   addressing progress in reducing the number of households
experiencing homelessness in a region;
      (2) assessing the rate households placed in permanent housing return to
homelessness and the underlying reasons;
      (3) identifying resources developed and utilized in the region to address
homelessness and efforts to improve the equitable distribution of these
resources in the region;
      (4) reporting the rate of household participation with coordinated entry
processes and case management services;
      (5) identifying system gaps and the funding needed to address those
gaps, including periodic inflationary adjustments; and
      (6)     utilizing data, including Vermont’s Point-in-Time Count,
coordinated entry assessment results, and community conversations.
   (b) Every three years, each community action agency shall submit plans
developed pursuant to this section to the Department in a format prescribed by
the Department. Upon receipt of the plans, the Department shall consolidate
the results of these reports and submit the consolidated report to the House
Committee on Human Services and to the Senate Committee on Health and
Welfare.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 57 of 105
§ 2210. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
   On or before the last day of every third month, the Department shall submit
a report, in consultation with the community action agencies and the statewide
organization serving households experiencing domestic or sexual violence, to
the House Committee on Human Services, the Senate Committee on Health
and Welfare, and the Joint Fiscal Committee addressing:
      (1) the number of households served through the Program, by household
size and, if applicable, by eligibility category, region, service provider, and
type of service;
      (2) the number of household members employed on a part-time and full-
time basis and the number of household members receiving Supplemental
Security Income or Social Security disability insurance;
      (3) changes in capacity for shelter beds, nursing homes, and residential
care homes since the previous reporting period;
      (4) the number of diversions made during the previous reporting period;
      (5)   the number of households whose intake assessment indicated a
potential need for services from each department within the Agency;
      (6) the number of households that have been successfully transitioned to
permanent housing since the previous reporting period, the types of housing
settings in which they have been placed, and any supportive services they are
receiving in conjunction with their housing;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 58 of 105
  (7) the number of households that may be transitioned to permanent
housing in the coming months;
  (8)     any State rules and local regulations and ordinances that are
impeding the timely development of safe, decent, affordable housing in
Vermont communities in order to:
  (A) identify areas in which flexibility or discretion are available; and
  (B) advise whether the temporary suspension of relevant State rules
and local regulations and ordinances, or the adoption or amendment of State
rules, would facilitate faster and less costly revitalization of existing housing
and construction of new housing units; and
  (9) an inventory of all subgrants issued by the statewide organization
serving households experiencing or who have experienced domestic or sexual
violence and by each community action agency.
§ 2204 2211. REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS
   (a)     Each community action agency shall convene a regional advisory
council whose membership reflects, to the extent possible, the growing
diversity among Vermonters, including individuals who are Black, Indigenous,
and Persons of Color, as well as with regards to socioeconomic status,
geographic location, gender, sexual identity, and disability status. Members of
an advisory council shall include organizations providing services in the
region, the Department, and representatives of the Agency and each
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 59 of 105
department of the Agency, as needed.        A regional advisory council may
collaborate with individuals with lived experience of homelessness, community
partners, State partners, housing providers, local housing coalitions, statewide
homelessness organizations, providers of coordinated entry, continuums of
care, faith-based organizations, and municipalities in the region served by the
community action agency.
  ***
 * * * Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
  Housing Program; Effective July 1, 2027 * * *
Sec. 5. 33 V.S.A. § 2202 is amended to read:
§ 2202. PURPOSE
   It is the purpose of the General Assembly to:
      (1) replace the provision of emergency housing through the General
Assistance Program established in chapter 21 of this title and the Housing
Opportunity Grant Program and use funds and resources previously attributed
to those programs, and any other identified State and federal monies, to fund
the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
Housing Program established in this chapter; and
      (2) reduce reliance on the use of hotel and motel rooms to shelter
participating households and expand the use of emergency shelters throughout
the State for this purpose.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 60 of 105
    * * * Implementation Planning and Initial Regional Assessments * * *
Sec. 6. VHEARTH IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING
   (a)     On or before October 1, 2025, the Department for Children and
Families, in collaboration with the community action agencies, and the
statewide organization serving households that are experiencing or that have
experienced domestic or sexual violence, shall submit the first of two written
implementation plans to the House Committee on Human Services, the Senate
Committee on Health and Welfare, and the Joint Fiscal Committee outlining its
initial plans for the implementation of the Vermont Homeless Emergency
Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program established by 33
V.S.A. chapter 22 on or before July 1, 2026.  Specifically, the first
implementation plan shall include:
  (1) a process that community action agencies, in coordination with the
Department, shall use to conduct regularly occurring regional needs
assessments and develop future regional plans, including consideration of
municipal needs;
  (2)   recommended performance measures to evaluate the community
action agencies and the statewide organization serving households that are
experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence in carrying
out their duties under 33 V.S.A. chapter 22, including:
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 61 of 105
  (A)     the provision of any previously agreed upon information to
enable the Department to evaluate the services provided through grant funds,
the effect on households receiving services, and an accounting of expended
grant funds; and
  (B)    performance measures that may be specific to an individual
region of the State or provider;
      (3) recommended eligibility for each of the services offered through 33
V.S.A. chapter 22;
      (4) guidance regarding when extreme weather event shelters shall be
operated, including flexibility for regional weather conditions;
      (5) a timeline for the implementation of core services listed in 33 V.S.A.
§ 2206 for the first six months of fiscal year 2027;
      (6)  recommended intake and assessment processes to determine
appropriate shelter and services for households based on Program eligibility;
and
      (7) a recommended process to enable an unwilling community action
agency to opt-out of participation in the Program in a manner that gives the
State adequate notice.
   (b) On or before January 15, 2026, the Department for Children and
Families, in collaboration with the community action agencies, regional
advisory councils established pursuant to 33 V.S.A. § 2204, and the statewide
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 62 of 105
organization serving households that are experiencing or that have
experienced domestic or sexual violence, shall submit the second of two
written implementation plans to the House Committee on Human Services and
the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare outlining its initial plans for the
implementation of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program established by 33 V.S.A. chapter 22
on or before July 1, 2026. Specifically, the second implementation plan shall
include recommendations on the following:
     (1) funding allocations among the community action agencies and other
providers, including for services specific to households that are experiencing
or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence;
     (2) additional State and federal funding and other resources identified
for the Program;
     (3) establishing an appeals process that includes a hearing before the
Human Services Board and an option for an expedited appeals process;
     (4) the role of 211 within the intake system;
     (5) whether access to all or some services should include an expectation
regarding household participation in case management services or other
expectations such as night limits on the use of hotels and motels, and, if so,
what elements and in what circumstances participation in case management
services or other expectations should be applied;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 63 of 105
      (6)   whether the use of emergency shelter should include financial
participation, and, if so, what that participation should include;
      (7) whether intake and assessment processes should include verification
of residency, homelessness, and household income;
      (8) how to best ensure that there is equitable access to shelter and
supportive services for households experiencing homelessness;
      (9) the number of housing vouchers that Vermont lost in the past year, if
the data is available; and
      (10) any anticipated challenges requiring a legislative solution.
Sec. 7. INTERIM AND FINAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT PLANS
   Prior to the enactment of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program on July 1, 2026, the statewide
organization serving households experiencing or that have experienced
domestic or sexual violence and community action agencies shall conduct
initial needs assessments in accordance with the process developed in Sec.
6(a)(1) of this act. On or before January 15, 2026, the community action
agencies shall submit one comprehensive progress report and the statewide
organization shall submit a separate report to the House Committees on
Appropriations and on Human Services and the Senate Committees on
Appropriations and on Health and Welfare, including estimated fiscal year
2027 budget proposals, estimated costs of administering the Program, and an
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 64 of 105
analysis of any barriers to generating additional shelter and permanent
housing in the region. On or before April 1, 2026, the statewide organization
shall submit a report and the community action agencies shall submit a
separate comprehensive report detailing the results of each region’s needs
assessment and implementation plans, which shall not exceed the budgetary
proposals provided in the January 15, 2026 progress report, to the House
Committees on Appropriations and on Human Services and the Senate
Committees on Appropriations and on Health and Welfare. The initial needs
assessment conducted pursuant to this section shall include:
      (1)   addressing progress in reducing the number of households
experiencing homelessness in a region;
      (2) assessing the rate households placed in permanent housing return to
homelessness and the underlying reasons;
      (3) identifying resources developed and utilized in the region to address
homelessness and efforts to improve the equitable distribution of these
resources in the region;
      (4) reporting the rate of household participation with coordinated entry
processes and case management services;
      (5) identifying system gaps and the funding needed to address those
gaps, including periodic inflationary adjustments; and
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 65 of 105
      (6)    utilizing data, including Vermont’s Point-in-Time Count,
coordinated entry assessment results, and community conversations.
Sec. 8. ACCELERATED IMPLEMENTATION PATHWAY
   On or before November 1, 2025, the Department for Children and Families
shall submit for consideration a detailed written plan, including a timeline, to
accelerate implementation of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program as part of the fiscal year 2026
budget adjustment process to the Joint Fiscal Committee, to the House
Committees on Appropriations and on Human Services, and to the Senate
Committees on Appropriations and on Health and Welfare. The plan shall
address the readiness of community providers to implement the Program prior
to July 1, 2026, fiscal estimates for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, and an
assessment as to whether the Program is anticipated to be operable on or
before July 1, 2026.
  * * * Community Action Agencies * * *
Sec. 9. 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 is amended to read:
       CHAPTER 59. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCIES
§ 3901. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE
   (a) Recognizing that the economic well-being and social equity of every
Vermonter has long been a fundamental concern of the State, it remains
evident that poverty continues to be the lot of a substantial number of
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 66 of 105
Vermont’s population continues to experience poverty. It is the policy of this
the State to help develop the full potential of each of its citizens so they can
contribute to the fullest extent possible to the life of our communities and the
State as a whole.
   (b)     It is the purpose of this chapter to strengthen, supplement, and
coordinate efforts that further this policy through:
  (1)      the strengthening of community capabilities for planning,
coordinating, and managing federal, State, and other sources of assistance
related to the problem of poverty;
  (2) the better organization and utilization of a range of services related
to the needs of the poor individuals with low income; and
  (3) the broadening of the resource base of programs to secure a more
active role in assisting the poor individuals with low income from business,
labor, and other groups from the private sector.
§ 3902. OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
   (a)  The Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity is hereby
authorized to allocate available financial assistance for community services
action agencies and programs in accordance with State and federal law and
regulation.
   (b) The Director may provide financial assistance to community services
action agencies for the planning, conduct, administration, and evaluation of
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 67 of 105
community service action programs to provide a range of services and
activities having a measurable and potentially major impact on causes of
poverty in the community or in areas of the community where poverty is a
particularly acute problem. Components of those services and activities may
involve, without limitation of other activities and supporting facilities designed
to assist low income participants with low income:
      (1) to secure and retain meaningful employment;
      (2) to obtain adequate education;
      (3) to make better use of available income;
      (4) to provide and maintain adequate housing and a suitable living
environment have access to safe, secure, permanent housing;
      (5) to obtain prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services
for the prevention of narcotics addiction, alcoholism, and for the rehabilitation
of narcotic addicts and alcoholics individuals with substance use disorder;
      (6) to obtain emergency assistance through loans and grants to meet
immediate and urgent individual and family needs, including the need for
health services,    nutritious   food,   housing,    and   unemployment-related
assistance;
      (7) to remove obstacles and solve personal and family problems which
that block achievement of self-sufficiency;
      (8) to achieve greater participation in the affairs of the community;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 68 of 105
      (9) to make more frequent and effective use of other programs related to
the purposes of this chapter; and
      (10) to coordinate and establish linkages between governmental and
other social service programs to assure ensure the effective delivery of such
services to low-income persons; with low income and to encourage the use of
entities in the private sector of the community in efforts to ameliorate poverty
in the community.
   (c) The Director is authorized to adopt rules pursuant to chapter 25 of this
title appropriate to the carrying out of this chapter and the purposes thereof.
§ 3903. DESIGNATION OF AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND
  ACTIVITIES TO AMELIORATE OR ELIMINATE POVERTY
   The Director shall designate private nonprofit community based
community-based organizations who that have demonstrated or who that can
demonstrate the ability to provide services and activities as defined in
subsection 3902(b) of this title as community services action agencies.
§ 3904. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCY PLAN
   Each designated community services action agency shall determine the
need for activities and services within the area served by the agency and shall
thereafter prepare a community services plan which that describes the method
by which the agency will provide those services. The plan shall include a
schedule for the anticipated provision of new or additional services and shall
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 69 of 105
specify the resources which that are needed by and available to the agency to
implement the plan. The community services plan shall be completed every
three years and updated annually. The plan shall include the regional needs
assessment required under 33 V.S.A. § 2209.
§ 3905. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCIES;
  ADMINISTRATION
   (a) Each community services action agency shall administer its programs
as set out in the community services plan and as approved by its board of
directors.
   (b)  Each board of a nonprofit community based community-based
organization that is designated a community services action agency under
section 3903 of this chapter shall have an executive committee of not more
than seven members who shall be representative of the composition of the
board and the board shall be so constituted that:
  ***
  (2)    one-third of the members of the board are persons chosen in
accordance with election procedures adequate to assure ensure that they are
representative of the poor individuals with low income in the area served; and
  (3) the remainder of the members of the board are officials or members
of business, industry, labor, religious, welfare, education, or other major
groups and interests in the community.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 70 of 105
   (c) Each member of the a board selected to represent a specific geographic
area within a community shall reside in the area he or she the member
represents. No person selected under subdivisions (2) or (3) of subsection (b)
as a member of a board shall serve on such board for more than five
consecutive years, or more than a total of 10 years Each board shall adopt
term limits to govern its members.
  * * * Appropriations * * *
Sec. 10. APPROPRIATION; TRANSITION PLANNING
   In fiscal year 2026, $10,000,000.00 of one-time funding is appropriated
from the General Fund as follows:
      (1) $5,085,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families to plan
for the implementation of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program as needed, which may be
distributed to entities such as the community action agencies;
      (2)   $400,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families for
distribution to the statewide organization serving households experiencing or
who have experienced domestic or sexual violence;
      (3) $515,000.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to Bridges
to Health for services to individuals who are experiencing homelessness or at
risk of becoming homeless;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 71 of 105
     (4) $1,000,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families for the
distribution of grants to municipalities planning and implementing services for
households that are at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness, in
collaboration with the community action agency serving a municipality’s
region; and
     (5)   $3,000,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families to
enhance capacity for the creation and expansion of emergency shelters and
permanent supportive housing capacity, a subset of which shall be distributed
to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board for infrastructure investments
and administered in consultation with the Department to ensure new
investments are paired with appropriate support services.
Sec. 11. FUTURE APPROPRIATIONS; LEGISLATIVE INTENT
  It is the intent of the General Assembly that:
     (1) in fiscal year 2027 and thereafter, funds and resources previously
appropriated for General Assistance emergency housing be redesignated for
the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
Housing Program pursuant to 33 V.S.A. chapter 22; and
     (2) in fiscal year 2028 and thereafter, funds and resources previously
appropriated for the Housing Opportunity Grant program be redesignated for
the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
Housing Program pursuant to 33 V.S.A. chapter 22.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 72 of 105
Sec. 12. TRANSITION; HOUSING OPPORTUNITY GRANT PROGRAM
   As part of its fiscal year 2028 budget presentation, the Department for
Children and Families shall present a plan for transitioning Housing
Opportunity Grant Program funding and duties to the Vermont Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program
established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22.
  * * * Effective Dates * * *
Sec. 13. EFFECTIVE DATES
   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025, except that:
        (1) Secs. 4 (Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive
Transition to Housing Program) and 9 (community action agencies) shall take
effect on July 1, 2026;
        (2) Sec. 5 (Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive
Transition to Housing Program) shall take effect on July 1, 2027; and
        (3)   the Department for Children and Families shall commence the
rulemaking process prior July 1, 2026 in order to have rules in place on that
date.
  * * * Findings and Legislative Intent * * *
Sec. 1. FINDINGS
   The General Assembly finds that:
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 73 of 105
     (1)      according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development’s 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Vermont had
the fourth highest rate of homelessness in 2024 in that 53 of every 10,000
Vermonters are experiencing homelessness, with only Hawaii, New York, and
Oregon experiencing higher rates;
     (2)   according to the Vermont Homeless Management Information
System, as of March 2025 there were 4,971 individuals who were homeless in
the State, 1,105 of whom were children;
     (3) according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, there were
approximately 3,458 unhoused individuals in Vermont, which represents a 300
percent increase over the 1,110 unhoused individuals prior to the COVID-19
pandemic in 2020;
     (4) according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, over 35 percent
of those Vermonters experiencing homelessness were unhoused for more than
one year and over 72 percent were unhoused for more than 90 days;
     (5)      according to the Vermont 2024 Point-in-Time Count, Black
Vermonters are 5.6 times more likely to be unhoused as compared to white
Vermonters;
     (6) the 2024 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment notes that 36,000
primary homes are needed in Vermont between 2025–2029, 3,295 of which are
needed to address homelessness;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 74 of 105
      (7) the 2024 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment notes that “[h]alf of
all Vermont renters are cost-burdened, and one-in-four pay more than 50
[percent] of their income on housing costs, putting them at high risk of
eviction,” which “is heightened by Vermont’s rental vacancy rate of 3
[percent], which is well below the 5 [percent] rate of a healthy market”;
      (8)   since 2020, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board has
facilitated construction of 170 new single-family homeownership units and 269
new shelter beds; and
      (9) the 2024 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment notes that “[h]alf of
all Vermont renters are cost-burdened, and one-in-four pay more than 50
[percent] of their income on housing costs, putting them at high risk of
eviction,” which “is heightened by Vermont’s rental vacancy rate of 3
[percent], which is well below the 5 [percent] rate of a healthy market”.
Sec. 2. LEGISLATIVE INTENT
   (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that unsheltered homelessness
be eliminated and that homelessness in Vermont be rare, brief, and
nonrecurring.
   (b) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Vermont Homeless
Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program
established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is a step toward ensuring that:
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 75 of 105
      (1)    homelessness be reduced in Vermont and interim shelter
opportunities be available to provide a stable pathway to permanent housing
for all Vermonters experiencing homelessness, including safe shelter options
for individuals living in unsheltered homelessness;
      (2)   Vermont increase the supply of emergency shelter as well as
permanent supportive housing that meets the specific needs of individuals;
      (3)   community components of all shelter types are integrated in a
systemic manner;
      (4) night-by-night shelter, relocation between interim shelter sites, and
other disruptions in housing stability be eliminated to the extent possible;
      (5) Vermont’s emergency housing statutes, rules, policies, procedures,
and practices be modeled on Housing First principles where appropriate;
      (6) noncongregate shelter be used to the extent possible; and
      (7) Vermont reduce reliance on the inefficient use of hotel and motel
rooms to shelter participating households and expand the use of emergency
shelters throughout the State for this purpose.
   (c) It is the intent of the General Assembly that:
      (1)   the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive
Transition to Housing Program established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 replaces
the provision of emergency housing through the General Assistance Program
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 76 of 105
established in 33 V.S.A. chapter 21 and the Housing Opportunity Grant
Program beginning in fiscal year 2027 and on an ongoing basis; and
      (2) in fiscal years 2027 and 2028, emergency shelter services funded
through the Housing Opportunity Grant Program in fiscal year 2025 be funded
at a level equivalent to or greater than fiscal year 2025 expenditures.
 * * * Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
  Housing Program; Effective July 1, 2025 * * *
Sec. 3. 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is added to read:
 CHAPTER 22. VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND
  RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING PROGRAM
§ 2201. SHORT TITLE
   The Program established in this chapter may be cited as “VHEARTH” or
the “VHEARTH Program.”
§ 2202. PURPOSE
   It is the purpose of the General Assembly to:
      (1) replace the provision of emergency housing through the General
Assistance Program established in chapter 21 of this title and the Housing
Opportunity Grant Program and use funds and resources previously attributed
to these programs, and any other identified State and federal monies, to fund
the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
Housing Program established in this chapter;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 77 of 105
      (2) reduce reliance on the inefficient use of hotel and motel rooms to
shelter participating households and expand the use of emergency shelters
throughout the State for this purpose; and
      (3) assist in maintaining housing for households at risk of homelessness
and transition households experiencing homelessness to permanent housing.
§ 2203. DEFINITIONS
   As used in this chapter:
      (1)     “At risk of homelessness” means precariously housed without
sufficient income, resources, or support to prevent homelessness.
      (2) “Community action agency” means an agency designated pursuant
to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59.
      (3)      “Community-based shelter” means a shelter that meets the
Department’s standards for the operation of shelters.
      (4) “Department” means the Department for Children and Families.
      (5) “Extreme weather event” means extreme hot or cold temperatures or
weather events, such as hurricanes, flooding, or blizzards, that create
hazardous conditions for outdoor habitation by humans.
      (6) “Homeless” means:
  (A) lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;
  (B) facing imminent loss of primary nighttime residence;
  (C) fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence; or
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 78 of 105
  (D) otherwise defined as homeless under federal law.
  (7) “Household” means an individual and any dependents for whom the
individual is legally responsible who are domiciled and intend to stay in
Vermont as evidenced by an intent to dwell in Vermont and to return to
Vermont if temporarily absent, coupled with an act or acts consistent with that
intent.        “Household” includes individuals who reside together as one
economic unit, including those who are married, parties to a civil union, or
unmarried.
  (8)     “Unsheltered homelessness” means sleeping in a location not
designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation.
§ 2204. REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS
   (a)     Each community action agency shall convene a regional advisory
council composed of individuals and organizations in the community action
agency’s region. The membership of each regional advisory council shall
reflect, to the extent possible, the growing diversity among Vermonters,
including individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color, as well
as with regards to socioeconomic status, geographic location, gender, sexual
identity, and disability status.
  (1) Members of an advisory council shall include individuals with lived
experience of homelessness, local housing coalitions or a local continuum of
care serving as a local housing coalition, other organizations providing
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 79 of 105
services in the region, municipalities, statewide homelessness organizations,
the Agency of Human Services’ Field Services Director, and any other
representatives of the Agency as needed.
        (2) Members of a regional advisory council may include community and
State partners, housing providers, providers of coordinated entry, continuums
of care, faith-based organizations, and other individuals or organizations as
needed.
  (b)       Each regional advisory council shall provide advice and
recommendations to the community action agency in its region regarding the
design and implementation of the Program.
  (c) Each regional advisory council shall meet on at least a quarterly basis.
  (d) Members of a regional advisory council who are not participating in
their professional capacity shall be entitled to per diem compensation and
reimbursement of expenses as permitted under 32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more
than eight meetings annually. These payments shall be made from monies
distributed to the relevant community action agency by the Department.
 * * * Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
  Housing Program; Effective July 1, 2026 * * *
Sec. 4. 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 is amended to read:
 CHAPTER 22. VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND
  RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING PROGRAM
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 80 of 105
  ***
§ 2203. DEFINITIONS
   As used in this chapter:
  ***
      (2) “Community action agency” means an agency designated pursuant
to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 or the entity or entities otherwise authorized by the
Department pursuant to section 2205 of this chapter to fulfill the duties of a
community action agency under this chapter.
  ***
§ 2204. ESTABLISHMENT; VERMONT HOMELESS EMERGENCY
  ASSISTANCE AND RESPONSIVE TRANSITION TO HOUSING
  PROGRAM
   The Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to
Housing Program is established in the Department to provide services to
households that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, to the extent
funds exist.
      (1) The Department shall select and enter into an agreement with a
statewide organization that has population-specific service experience to
provide or cause to be provided supportive services and shelter to those
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual
violence.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 81 of 105
  (2) All other participating households shall be served by or through a
community action agency responsible for a geographically distinct region of
the State.     Community action agencies participating in the Program shall
provide or cause to be provided supportive services, extreme weather event
shelter, and emergency shelter.
§ 2205. AUTHORIZATION PROCESS; REAUTHORIZATION REVIEW
   (a)     The Department shall select and enter into an agreement with a
statewide organization to provide or cause to be provided supportive services
and shelter to those households that are experiencing or that have experienced
domestic or sexual violence. The Department shall conduct regular reviews of
the statewide organization to ensure compliance with this chapter.  The
statewide organization may be subject to corrective actions by the Department
if, within the constraint of appropriated resources, it no longer meets the
requirements of this chapter or has failed to adequately meet the needs of
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual
violence. If the statewide organization cannot fulfill its responsibilities under
this chapter, the Department shall work with another entity to ensure that there
is not a gap in services.
   (b)(1) The Department shall authorize a community action agency to serve
or cause to be served households that are homeless or at risk of becoming
homeless in a geographically distinct region of the State if it meets the criteria
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 82 of 105
in this section. If a community action agency cannot fulfill its responsibilities
under this chapter, the Department shall work with other community action
agencies or other appropriate community entities to ensure that there is not a
gap in services in a community action agency’s region.
      (2) A community action agency providing or causing to provide services
in accordance with this chapter shall have:
  (A) existing or planned infrastructure to support households in the
region, including an established leadership team, a human resources staff, and
the ability to receive grant funding and issue subgrants;
  (B)   the ability to meet the Department’s reporting requirements,
including having a past history of reporting compliance;
  (C)   the capacity to perform or cause to be performed the core
services required pursuant to section 2206 of this chapter;
  (D) the capacity to seek and accept charitable contributions, grants,
and services of volunteers, including money, clothing, and furniture;
  (E) any outcome measures established in this chapter;
  (F)   community connections with other providers in the region,
including local housing coalitions, housing providers, providers of coordinated
entry, continuums of care, faith-based organizations, and providers of services
to individuals who are older Vermonters; individuals who have disabilities, a
substance use disorder, or a mental health condition; individuals reentering the
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 83 of 105
community after incarceration; individuals transitioning from the care and
custody of the Commissioner for Children and Families; and families with
children; and
  (G)    the ability to provide plain language communications to
households receiving services.
        (3) Not less than every three years, the Department shall conduct a
reauthorization review of each community action agency providing or causing
to provide services pursuant to this chapter. An organization may be subject to
corrective actions by the Department if, within the constraint of appropriated
resources, it no longer meets the requirements in subdivision (2) of this
subsection or has failed to adequately meet the needs of households in its
region that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Lack of compliance may
result in the Department deciding not to reauthorize the community action
agency.    The Department may review progress of any previously required
corrective actions and may review community action agency performance
between reauthorization reviews.
§ 2206. VHEARTH CORE SERVICES
  (a)     The Department shall enter into an agreement with a statewide
organization with population-specific experience serving households that are
experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence.  The
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 84 of 105
organization shall provide or cause to be provided various shelter and case
management services that support households.
   (b) Each community action agency shall offer or cause to be offered, in
collaboration with community partners, each of the following services within
its region:
      (1) supportive services, including:
  (A) intake assessments and services for diversion from homelessness,
which shall include regional intake shelters unless the Department and
community action agencies agree otherwise;
  (B) household needs assessments;
  (C) individualized household plans to address identified needs;
  (D) housing navigation services;
  (E) assistance obtaining and retaining housing, including financial
assistance;
  (F) landlord-tenant outreach, education, and conflict resolution;
  (G) navigation to other services and supports as identified in the
household’s housing plan, including economic benefits, peer-supported
services, job training and employment services, services related to disability
and independent living advocacy, and referral to health care assistance such as
treatment for mental health conditions and substance use disorder as provided
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 85 of 105
by the designated and specialized services agencies and preferred providers,
respectively, or other providers; and
  (H) progress monitoring and interventions;
      (2) the operation of extreme weather event shelters, which may include
time-limited congregate accommodations and may be provided through
agreements with municipalities or other entities, utilizing available data and
considering geographic access to prioritize funding for this purpose; and
      (3) the operation of emergency shelters in a manner that builds upon the
federally required community planning process and prioritizes households in
need of the services of an emergency shelter, which may include community-
based shelters, temporary use of hotels or motels, lease agreements for full or
partial use of an existing building, need-specific shelter arrangements, master
grant leases, the development of shelter capacity, or other arrangements or
combinations of arrangements that comply with the intent of this chapter.
§ 2207. USE OF HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOMS
   (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly to decrease reliance on hotel
and motel rooms for emergency housing.  Annually, as shelter capacity
increases and the number of households experiencing homelessness decreases
in each region of the State, the use of hotel and motel rooms for emergency
housing in that region shall decrease. Annually, as part of the Department’s
budget presentation, the Department shall set goals for increased housing
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 86 of 105
capacity, including permanent supportive housing, permanent affordable
housing, and shelter beds, some of which may be population-specific, in
addition to proposed corresponding decreases in the use of hotel and motel
rooms. The Department shall provide data pertaining to the percentage of
increased shelter capacity from the previous fiscal year in each region and how
that increase impacts the corresponding hotel and motel room usage for
emergency housing in each region pursuant to this subsection for the purpose
of informing regional planning and expectations.
   (b) If hotels and motels are used to provide emergency shelter pursuant to
this chapter, the hotel and motel operators shall comply with Program rules
and the following rules:
      (1) Department of Health, Licensed Lodging Establishment Rule (CVR
13-140-023); and
      (2) Department of Public Safety, Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code
(CVR 28-070-001).
   (c) Annually, the Department shall propose hotel and motel rates as part of
its budget presentation for approval by the General Assembly. A community
action agency shall not pay or cause to be paid with State monies a per-room,
per-night basis that exceeds the rate approved by the General Assembly.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 87 of 105
   (d) If a hotel or motel is being utilized, a community action agency or
entity under contract with a community action agency:
  (1)     shall ensure relevant support services established pursuant to
subdivision 2206(b)(1) of this chapter;
  (2) shall enter into agreements for the use of blocks of hotel and motel
rooms and negotiate the conditions of use for those blocks, including access
for providers of case management or other supportive services;
  (3) shall prioritize the use of hotel and motel room agreements over
individual per-room, per-night hotel or motel room use, unless it is not
appropriate to a household’s needs;
  (4)     may use population-specific placements to the extent certain
populations are not isolated from the wider community served through the
Program; and
  (5) shall not utilize hotels and motels outside the community action
agency or entity’s region, unless approved by the Department or in a written
memorandum of understanding between community action agencies.
§ 2208. VHEARTH; DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
   (a)  The Department and the Agency of Human Services shall have
statewide responsibility for meeting the intent of this chapter, including
statewide planning, system development, and the involvement of all the
Agency’s departments.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 88 of 105
   (b) For the purpose of providing administrative oversight and monitoring
of the Program established in this chapter, the Department shall:
      (1)(A)      maintain guidance regarding when extreme weather event
shelters shall be operated, including flexibility for regional weather
conditions; and
  (B) maintain a website with the locations of all extreme weather
event shelters;
      (2) include as part of any review of a community action agency required
pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 the community action agency’s ability to
perform the requirements of this chapter;
      (3)(A) consult with the community action agencies and the statewide
organization serving households that are experiencing or that have
experienced domestic or sexual violence to develop appropriate resource
allocations and methods for adjustment that take into account available data,
the presence of community-based providers, and customary resource allocation
methods, economic indicators, rate of homelessness, rental vacancy rates, and
other variables, as appropriate; and
  (B) annually, distribute funding to each community action agency
and the statewide organization serving households that are experiencing or
that have experienced domestic or sexual violence using the allocation formula
developed pursuant to subdivision (A) of this subdivision (b)(3), or if the
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 89 of 105
Department and community action agencies agree, disperse a joint allocation
for all community action agencies, which the community action agencies shall
determine how to distribute amongst themselves;
     (4)    consult with the community action agencies and the statewide
organization serving households that are experiencing or that have
experienced domestic and sexual violence to develop appropriate measures
and methods for accountability of the community action agencies’ and the
statewide organization’s execution of duties under this chapter, including the
provision of any previously agreed upon information to enable the Department
to evaluate the services provided through grant funds, the effect on households
receiving services, and an accounting of expended grant funds;
     (5) provide support and technical assistance to the community action
agencies, other community partners, and the statewide organization serving
households that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual
violence;
     (6) identify specific administrative resources that could be transitioned
to community operations;
     (7) develop and maintain standards for the core services listed in section
2206 of this chapter, including the operation of community-based shelters; and
     (8) adopt rules pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 25, in consultation with the
community action agencies and the statewide organization serving households
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 90 of 105
that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence, as
appropriate, for the implementation of this chapter, including rules that
address reauthorization standards under subsection 2205(a) and subdivision
2205(b)(3) of this chapter and accommodations for individuals with a
disability.
§ 2209. REGIONAL PLANNING; NEEDS ASSESSMENTS
   (a) As part of the plan required every three years pursuant to 3 V.S.A.
§ 3904 and the federally required planning and needs assessments for the
continuums of care, the community action agencies shall develop a regional
needs assessment and planning process, in collaboration with community and
State partners, for use in each community action agency’s region to inform
future plans addressing housing and homelessness in each region of the State.
The regional needs assessment and planning process plans shall include:
      (1)     addressing progress in reducing the number of households
experiencing homelessness in a region;
      (2) assessing the rate households placed in permanent housing return to
homelessness and the underlying reasons;
      (3) identifying resources developed and utilized in the region to address
homelessness and efforts to improve the equitable distribution of these
resources in the region;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 91 of 105
     (4) reporting the rate of household participation with coordinated entry
processes and case management services;
     (5) identifying system gaps and the funding needed to address those
gaps, including periodic inflationary adjustments; and
     (6)     utilizing data, including Vermont’s Point-in-Time Count,
coordinated entry assessment results, and community conversations.
  (b) Every three years, each community action agency shall submit plans
developed pursuant to this section to the Department in a format prescribed by
the Department and to the regional planning committees in the region. Upon
receipt of the plans, the Department shall consolidate the results of these
reports and submit the consolidated report to the House Committee on Human
Services and to the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare.
§ 2210. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
  On or before the last day of every third month, the Department shall post a
report on its website, in consultation with the community action agencies and
the statewide organization serving households experiencing domestic or sexual
violence, addressing:
     (1) the number of households served through the Program, by household
size and, if applicable, by eligibility category, region, service provider, and
core service category;
     (2) cash income and noncash benefits by source;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 92 of 105
      (3) changes in capacity for shelter beds, nursing homes, and residential
care homes since the previous reporting period;
      (4)   the number of diversions from homelessness made during the
previous reporting period;
      (5)   the number of households whose intake assessment indicated a
potential need for services from each department within the Agency;
      (6) the number of households that have been successfully transitioned to
permanent housing since the previous reporting period, the types of housing
settings in which they have been placed, and any supportive services they are
receiving in conjunction with their housing;
      (7) the number of households returning to homelessness after placement
in permanent housing; and
      (8) an inventory, by amount and purpose, of all subgrants issued by the
statewide organization serving households experiencing or who have
experienced domestic or sexual violence and by each community action
agency.
§ 2204 2211. REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS
  ***
    * * * Implementation Planning and Initial Regional Assessments * * *
Sec. 5. VHEARTH IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 93 of 105
   (a)     On or before October 1, 2025, the Department for Children and
Families, in collaboration with the community action agencies and the
statewide organization serving households that are experiencing or that have
experienced domestic or sexual violence, shall submit the first of two written
implementation plans to the House Committee on Human Services, the Senate
Committee on Health and Welfare, and the Joint Fiscal Committee outlining its
initial plans for the implementation of the Vermont Homeless Emergency
Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing Program established by 33
V.S.A. chapter 22 on or before July 1, 2026.  Specifically, the first
implementation plan shall include:
  (1) a process that community action agencies, in coordination with the
Department, shall use to conduct regularly occurring regional needs
assessments and develop future regional plans, including consideration of
municipal needs;
  (2)     recommended performance measures to evaluate the community
action agencies and the statewide organization serving households that are
experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence in carrying
out their duties under 33 V.S.A. chapter 22, including:
  (A)   the provision of any previously agreed upon information to
enable the Department to evaluate the services provided through grant funds,
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 94 of 105
the effect on households receiving services, and an accounting of expended
grant funds; and
  (B)    performance measures that may be specific to an individual
region of the State or provider;
      (3) recommended eligibility for each of the core services listed in 33
V.S.A. § 2206;
      (4) guidance regarding when extreme weather event shelters shall be
operated, including flexibility for regional weather conditions;
      (5) a timeline for the implementation of core services listed in 33 V.S.A.
§ 2206 for the first six months of fiscal year 2027;
      (6)  recommended intake and assessment processes to determine
appropriate shelter and services for households based on Program eligibility;
and
      (7) a recommended process to enable an unwilling community action
agency to opt-out of participation in the Program in a manner that gives the
State adequate notice.
   (b) On or before January 15, 2026, the Department for Children and
Families, in collaboration with the community action agencies, regional
advisory councils established pursuant to 33 V.S.A. § 2204, any other relevant
department of the Agency, and the statewide organization serving households
that are experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence,
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 95 of 105
shall submit the second of two written implementation plans to the House
Committee on Human Services and the Senate Committee on Health and
Welfare outlining its initial plans for the implementation of the Vermont
Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive Transition to Housing
Program established by 33 V.S.A. chapter 22 on or before July 1, 2026.
Specifically, the second implementation plan shall include recommendations
and information on the following:
      (1)(A) funding allocations among the community action agencies and
other providers, including for services specific to households that are
experiencing or that have experienced domestic or sexual violence; and
  (B) the distribution of fiscal year 2026 appropriations pursuant to
Sec. 8 of this act;
      (2) additional State and federal funding and other resources identified
for the Program;
      (3) establishing an appeals process that includes a hearing before the
Human Services Board and an option for an expedited appeals process;
      (4) the role of 211 within the intake system;
      (5) whether access to all or some services should include an expectation
regarding household participation in case management services or other
expectations such as night limits on the use of hotels and motels, and, if so,
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 96 of 105
what elements and in what circumstances participation in case management
services or other expectations should be applied;
      (6)   whether the use of emergency shelter should include financial
participation, and, if so, what that participation should include;
      (7)   appropriate intake and assessment processes for verification of
residency, homelessness, and household income;
      (8) how to best ensure that there is equitable access to shelter and
supportive services for households experiencing homelessness;
      (9) the number of housing vouchers that Vermont lost in the past year, if
the data is available; and
      (10) any anticipated challenges requiring a legislative solution.
Sec. 6. INTERIM AND FINAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT PLANS
   Prior to the enactment of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program on July 1, 2026, the statewide
organization serving households experiencing or that have experienced
domestic or sexual violence and community action agencies shall conduct
initial needs assessments in accordance with the process developed in Sec.
5(a)(1) of this act. On or before January 15, 2026, the community action
agencies shall submit one comprehensive progress report and the statewide
organization shall submit a separate report to the House Committees on
Appropriations and on Human Services and the Senate Committees on
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 97 of 105
Appropriations and on Health and Welfare, including estimated fiscal year
2027 budget proposals, estimated costs of administering the Program, and an
analysis of any barriers to generating additional shelter and permanent
housing in the region. On or before April 1, 2026, the statewide organization
shall submit a report and the community action agencies shall submit a
separate comprehensive report detailing the results of each region’s needs
assessment and implementation plans, which shall not exceed the budgetary
proposals provided in the January 15, 2026 progress report, to the House
Committees on Appropriations and on Human Services and the Senate
Committees on Appropriations and on Health and Welfare and to the regional
planning committees in the region. The initial needs assessment conducted
pursuant to this section shall include:
      (1)    addressing progress in reducing the number of households
experiencing homelessness in a region;
      (2) assessing the rate households placed in permanent housing return to
homelessness and the underlying reasons;
      (3) identifying resources developed and utilized in the region to address
homelessness and efforts to improve the equitable distribution of these
resources in the region;
      (4) reporting the rate of household participation with coordinated entry
processes and case management services;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 98 of 105
  (5) identifying system gaps and the funding needed to address those
gaps, including periodic inflationary adjustments; and
  (6)    utilizing data, including Vermont’s Point-in-Time Count,
coordinated entry assessment results, and community conversations.
  * * * Community Action Agencies * * *
Sec. 7. 3 V.S.A. chapter 59 is amended to read:
  CHAPTER 59. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCIES
§ 3901. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE
   (a) Recognizing that the economic well-being and social equity of every
Vermonter has long been a fundamental concern of the State, it remains
evident that poverty continues to be the lot of a substantial number of
Vermont’s population continues to experience poverty. It is the policy of this
the State to help develop the full potential of each of its citizens so they can
contribute to the fullest extent possible to the life of our communities and the
State as a whole.
   (b)     It is the purpose of this chapter to strengthen, supplement, and
coordinate efforts that further this policy through:
  (1)   the strengthening of community capabilities for planning,
coordinating, and managing federal, State, and other sources of assistance
related to the problem of poverty;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 99 of 105
  (2) the better organization and utilization of a range of services related
to the needs of the poor individuals with low income; and
  (3) the broadening of the resource base of programs to secure a more
active role in assisting the poor individuals with low income from business,
labor, and other groups from the private sector.
§ 3902. OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
   (a)      The Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity is hereby
authorized to allocate available financial assistance for community services
action agencies and programs in accordance with State and federal law and
regulation.
   (b) The Director may provide financial assistance to community services
action agencies for the planning, conduct, administration, and evaluation of
community service action programs to provide a range of services and
activities having a measurable and potentially major impact on causes of
poverty in the community or in areas of the community where poverty is a
particularly acute problem. Components of those services and activities may
involve, without limitation of other activities and supporting facilities designed
to assist low income participants with low income:
  (1) to secure and retain meaningful employment;
  (2) to obtain adequate education;
  (3) to make better use of available income;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 100 of 105
      (4) to provide and maintain adequate housing and a suitable living
environment have access to safe, secure, and permanent housing;
      (5) to obtain prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services
for the prevention of narcotics addiction, alcoholism, and for the rehabilitation
of narcotic addicts and alcoholics individuals with substance use disorder;
      (6) to obtain emergency assistance through loans and grants to meet
immediate and urgent individual and family needs, including the need for
health services,    nutritious   food,   housing,   and   unemployment-related
assistance;
      (7) to remove obstacles and solve personal and family problems which
that block achievement of self-sufficiency;
      (8) to achieve greater participation in the affairs of the community;
      (9) to make more frequent and effective use of other programs related to
the purposes of this chapter; and
      (10) to coordinate and establish linkages between governmental and
other social service programs to assure ensure the effective delivery of such
services to low-income persons; with low income and to encourage the use of
entities in the private sector of the community in efforts to ameliorate poverty
in the community.
   (c) The Director is authorized to adopt rules pursuant to chapter 25 of this
title appropriate to the carrying out of this chapter and the purposes thereof.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 101 of 105
§ 3903. DESIGNATION OF AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND
  ACTIVITIES TO AMELIORATE OR ELIMINATE POVERTY
   The Director shall designate private nonprofit community based
community-based organizations who that have demonstrated or who that can
demonstrate the ability to provide services and activities as defined in
subsection 3902(b) of this title as community services action agencies.
§ 3904. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCY PLAN
   Each designated community services action agency shall determine the
need for activities and services within the area served by the agency and shall
thereafter prepare a community services plan which that describes the method
by which the agency will provide those services. The plan shall include a
schedule for the anticipated provision of new or additional services and shall
specify the resources which that are needed by and available to the agency to
implement the plan. The community services plan shall be completed every
three years and updated annually. The plan shall include the regional needs
assessment required under 33 V.S.A. § 2209.
§ 3905. COMMUNITY SERVICES ACTION AGENCIES;
  ADMINISTRATION
   (a) Each community services action agency shall administer its programs
as set out in the community services plan and as approved by its board of
directors.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 102 of 105
   (b)  Each board of a nonprofit community based community-based
organization that is designated a community services action agency under
section 3903 of this chapter shall have an executive committee of not more
than seven members who shall be representative of the composition of the
board and the board shall be so constituted that:
  ***
  (2)    one-third of the members of the board are persons chosen in
accordance with election procedures adequate to assure ensure that they are
representative of the poor individuals with low income in the area served; and
  (3) the remainder of the members of the board are officials or members
of business, industry, labor, religious, welfare, education, or other major
groups and interests in the community.
   (c) Each member of the a board selected to represent a specific geographic
area within a community shall reside in the area he or she the member
represents. No person selected under subdivisions (2) or (3) of subsection (b)
as a member of a board shall serve on such board for more than five
consecutive years, or more than a total of 10 years Each board shall adopt
term limits to govern its members.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 103 of 105
  * * * Appropriations * * *
Sec. 8. APPROPRIATION; TRANSITION PLANNING
   (a) In fiscal year 2026, $7,000,000.00 of one-time funding is appropriated
from the General Fund as follows:
      (1) $5,085,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families to plan
for the implementation of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program, which shall be distributed to the
community action agencies on a mutually agreed upon schedule, as needed,;
      (2)   $400,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families for
distribution to the statewide organization serving households experiencing or
who have experienced domestic or sexual violence; and
      (3) $515,000.00 to the Department of Health for distribution to Bridges
to Health for services to individuals who are experiencing homelessness or at
risk of becoming homeless;
      (4) $1,000,000.00 to the Department for Children and Families for the
distribution of grants to municipalities planning and implementing services for
households that are at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness, in
collaboration with the community action agency serving a municipality’s
region.
   (b) The Department shall report on the distribution of appropriations made
in this section pursuant to Sec. 5(b)(1)(B) of this act.
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 104 of 105
  * * * VHEARTH Transition * * *
Sec. 9. VHEARTH TRANSITION
   Between July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026, pursuant to a mutual agreement
between the Department and a community action agency or the statewide
organization serving households experiencing domestic or sexual violence,
specific elements of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program may take effect prior to July 1,
2026 subject to:
      (1) 30-day notice to affected households;
      (2) 30-day notice to the Joint Fiscal Committee, House Committee on
Human Services, and Senate Committee on Health and Welfare; and
      (3) posted notice on the Department’s website.
  * * * Effective Dates * * *
Sec.10. EFFECTIVE DATES
   This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025, except that:
      (1) Sec. 4 (Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and Responsive
Transition to Housing Program) shall take effect on July 1, 2026; however,
specific elements of the Vermont Homeless Emergency Assistance and
Responsive Transition to Housing Program may be implemented prior to that
date pursuant to Sec. 9;
BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE  H.91
2025  Page 105 of 105
        (2) Sec. 7 (community action agencies) shall take effect on July 1, 2026;
and
        (3)   the Department for Children and Families shall commence the
rulemaking process prior to July 1, 2026 in order to have rules in place on that
date.