homeless

Please Be Aware That The “Benefits Trap” Also Is Part Of The Puzzle Of Solving The Homeless Crisis In Vermont

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

Many Vermonters are in the Benefits Trap. You can’t earn over a certain amount of money or you will lose your benefits, and the benefits have more financial value than the value of rent which could put you over the benefits limit by renting a room to someone.

In the Benefits Trap scheme of things, you are allowed to own one home (up to a certain value) and one car (up to a certain value). If you have an extra bedroom, and you rent it out, that is income, and poof! you could lose your benefits which have a value greater than the rent a person might pay.

Eminent Domain Creates Emergency Homeless Shelters

by Kurt Daims | Op/Ed

While hotel owners reap abusive profits, Vermonters are suffering extreme tax hikes, and the housing crisis threatens to bankrupt the state, and homeless people are dying in the streets, we must take emergency measures.

Quoting Karl Grossman on Counterpunch, “The application of the state’s power of “eminent domain” to nuclear power was pioneered in New York State in the 1980s – and was how the completed Shoreham nuclear plant was stopped from opening. That ended the scheme of nuclear promoters to turn Long Island into a “nuclear park” with seven to 11 nuclear plants.

Vermont Homelessness Press Release For Monday 12 23 2024

by RobertOeser | Activism

A group of current and former legislators who have worked on housing issues (former Sens. Illuzzi, Will Hunter, Jim Leddy, current Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky and Rep. Kate Logan) will hold a press event MONDAY at 10:30 at Delta Hotel, 1117 Williston Road, South Burlington to request Gov. Scott declare a state of emergency regarding the homelessness crisis and they will suggest some short-term solutions that should be promptly considered and enacted.

Attached is an introductory document to provide the theme and basis for the request for an emergency declaration, which has been done by one state and several communities across America.

I Discussed The Ongoing Homeless Crisis With Artificial Intelligence “ChatGPT”, and Here Are It’s Suggestions!

by CrisEricson2016 | Activism

Message to: ChatGPT

Cris Ericson said:
Hi! ChatGPT, I went to a news link because I want to know if the Governor of Vermont is following through with his idea to let homeless children stay in the State Police Barracks in Williston, Vermont but when I clicked on the link, all I got was this … (deleted)
ChatGPT said:
It sounds like you’re encountering some confusing content. I couldn’t find specific updates on the Governor of Vermont’s proposal about homeless children staying in State Police Barracks. If you want, I can help look for more recent news articles or summarize related information.

Many News Media In Vermont Are Reporting On the Homeless Crisis, Here Are My Ideas For Solutions

by CrisEricson2016 | Op/Ed

Many news sources in Vermont are reporting on the homeless crisis. People are being kicked out of hotels or motels they have stayed in because there is a new cut-off limit of 80 days.

I have added up how much money the state of Vermont spends, and in this video I offer alternative ideas to solve the problem that we are violating the United States Constitution, in my opinion, because twice in the U.S. Constitution it says the purpose is to promote the general welfare.

Selectboard Rejects Downtown Protections (re Homeless)

by Kurt Daims | Op/Ed

BCS started a low-cost semi-private community-based true emergency shelter in RVs In Brattleboro in 2022. “Community-based” is not a buzzword here. This shelter model relieves downtown of hosting many homeless and provides a healing space away from crowding and drugs and away from downtown. “True emergency” means it is a cheap — not pretty — solution for the poorest victims of the housing crisis.

We asked town officials several times to start a permitting process to fit the new kind of shelter, and after one told us to go ahead without a permit, the planning board sued to evict us for zoning (parking) violations, and the local health board (selectboard) sued to evict us for violations of rental safety codes. In April, 2023 a Superior Court Injunction said the shelter was safe and could continue under easy conditions. In almost all trials the Town has relied on rumor and technicalities and excluded much of our evidence. The Town wanted fines of $72,000, and the court decided on only $9828, but the court approved the notion that individuals can be sued for actions of corporations that they work for ! We thought we had a plea-bargain to remove the RVs and drop all the charges, but the Town is still threatening to take our home and fine us $4M.

Officer Did Not Falsify Evidence

by Kurt Daims | Op/Ed

CORRECTION: The officer did not falsify evidence. To falsify evidence means to alter it after it is admitted into a court record. That’s really serious and worse than what happened. Here’s what happened.

The Brattleboro “health officer” came to our emergency homeless shelter February 7 2023. We had three RVs for free shelter. He had been told that there were no sewer connections to the RVs. See the video. at brmse.org .

Housing Crisis Fake News ?

by Kurt Daims | Activism

The town has waged a legal campaign against BCS for its emergency homeless shelters in RVs for a year now. Their charges are based on rumors and technicalities.

They can win only by their legal power. At our “trial” February 21, 2023 selectwoman Elizabeth McLoughlin objected to the chairperson referring to the housing emergency. She said BCS (Daims) was the only one declaring it that. BTW the housing crisis was already a national issue. The only deniers were on the Brattleboro selectboard. (The selectboard is the health board).

Déjà Vu: Heartless Town Officials Lack Institutional Memory

by SK-B | Town News
newspaper article

The Town of Brattleboro’s harrassing Kurt Daims for doing what he could to shelter homeless people closely parallels something that happened nearly 4 decades ago.

Thirty-eight years ago, the Town of Brattleboro gave a homeless shelter run by Faith Ministries a December 25 deadline to close.

The Christmas deadline — a public relations blunder — was dramatic enough to garner national attention, but the real issue was articulated in a press release in which Wally & Emily White said the following:

$72,000 Parking Ticket

by Kurt Daims | Town News

(And that’s not the worst of it. The judge hinted he could raise it to $170,000.)

On February 14 the Town asked VT Superior Court for a judgement of $72K against a local nonprofit for placing RVs that were used as emergency homeless shelters on private land in Brattleboro.

The Town has effectively evicted the RV shelter, though homeless people are now sheltering in the house of the non-profit Brattleboro Common Sense, which started the shelter in late 2022. The non-profit claims the Town has started to harass them for that. The group spokesman, Kurt Daims, says “We have a good safe project here. See the work we’ve been doing for sixteen years.

Surviving in the Rough Handbook (a work-in-progress)

by Norsehorse | Activism

Surviving in the Rough Handbook:

For those living unhoused in Vermont who either have been or are due to evicted from the motel/hotel program or have otherwise have already been abandoned to the streets, woods or elsewhere with nowhere else to call home.

A living, work-in-progress, document anonymously co-written by various peers (those with lived experience, knowledge and insights, because we have been there and have done that).

In solidarity. Don’t give up!!!

Two Short Selectboard Comments from BCS – April 4, 2023

by Kurt Daims | Activism

We thank Mr. Potter for the update on the litigation over our emergency homeless shelter.

We had two comments tonight: first on the EHRV emergency shelter, and second, on the Fair Evictions and Rents amendment . One issue comes from the other.

In a selectboard meeting January 2021 we offered free housing for a police officer or substation at BCS corporate headquarters on Washington Street. It was part of our SAFE Policing project to start community policing. One of the vehicles in our emergency shelter is actually a mobile office, and quite suited as a substation or as a dental lab.

RAD Just Cause Amendment Implies Permanent Homeless Under-class

by Kurt Daims | Op/Ed

NOTICE : This doesn’t mean anyone should move out. It only means that the compassion is misplaced.
Imagine you’re homeless, living in a car for five years, and you hear about a new law that says everyone with an apartment can keep it forever.

They say the endless lease is compassionate >> If you already HAVE a place, you’ll be able to stay your whole life if you want, regardless of a signed agreement, regardless of someone waiting to move in, regardless of homeless people waiting in the snow.

Author Matt Whalan Presenting On Homelessness

by Norsehorse | Activism

For those who were not already aware of it, Brattleboro resident and author Matt Whalan will be among two speakers at an event on homelessness held at Kellogg Hubbard Library in Montpelier this evening at 6:30 PM and aired live by ORCA Media (via YouTube):

Selectboard Notes Feb 21, 2023 – Let Homeless Sleep in the Snow

by Kurt Daims | Op/Ed

BCS submitted its Statement to the board by email and in person on paper. The selectboard (health commission) declined to read any part of BCS’ STATEMENT at the hearing.   The selectboard decided to uphold the Emergency Order to shut down BCS emergency homeless shelter in RVs.  As you might note in the Statement (ask for a copy), the Order is legally defective, as BCS was not notified of our right to a hearing within five days of the Order (and for other reasons).  So, the evening’s proceedings may  be declared void.

icymi: Commentary of Mine in the VT Legislative Record

by Norsehorse | Activism

Although I have since discontinued engaging in activism and advocacy (save for continuing to focus on access to public restrooms and related matters for a few more months or so), in case you missed it and it is of interest, I just stumbled upon this commentary of mine that is in the legislative record concerning attitudes regarding people living houseless (i.e., unhoused aka homeless), fyi: