Advocates press Senate for increased housing supports, benefit assisters and $5M for food-security programs

Multiple witnesses told the committee that housing stability, benefit enrollment capacity, and food security require larger state investments in FY27.

Jenna O'Farerrell (Vermont Community Action Partnership) asked for $1.25 million for concrete supports, $1.5 million for case management and housing navigation (three FTEs per community action agency), and $200,000 to restore a DHCD fair housing program. She said small, timely client-directed payments routinely prevent homelessness and are far less costly than emergency shelter or hospitalization.

Chad Simmons (Housing and Homelessness Alliance) urged at least $3 million be added to H938's case-management line to provide statewide navigation capacity, and requested up to $15,000 to support talks about merging continuums of care and reporting necessary to maximize HUD federal funding.

Amy Scholenburg and coalition partners requested $3.496 million over the House budget for Benefit Assisters to help Vermonters meet new SNAP and Medicaid paperwork and renewal requirements, arguing that community-based assisters help keep federal dollars flowing to the state and reduce administrative error.

Carrie Sailor (Vermont Food Bank) requested $5 million total for food-security efforts: $2M for the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters grant, $2M for food-shelf and meal-site partner services, and $1M for a ready-response disaster program. She tied the benefit-assister proposal to relieving pressure on charitable food systems by helping eligible people access SNAP benefits.

Committee members said H938 and related budget lines will receive further consideration and that details on distribution and eligibility need to be resolved.