Issue Position: Housing

Issue Position

Issue Position: Housing

Protecting Affordable Housing and Helping the Homeless

I have always believed that Vermont is one of the most wonderful places to live and raise children. From the close communities and vital downtowns to the rich history and beautiful environment, I cannot imagine any other place I would want to call home. Unfortunately though, for many people the cost buying a home or renting an apartment is growing out of reach. Young families are struggling to afford the cost of their first home, the average wage earner struggles to pay escalating rents, and our numbers of homeless men, women and children are rising.

The National Low-Income Housing Coalition recently estimated that Vermonters need to earn $13.78 per hour to afford an average two bedroom apartment -- roughly 221 percent of the minimum wage and a wage level that only 39 percent of Vermont workers receive. At the current minimum wage most people would have to work an estimated 88 hours a week to afford an average two bedroom apartment leaving precious little room to afford the other necessities in life. Low rental vacancy rates combined with decreasing wages and escalating costs have only made the situation worse.

This is not a trend that is unique to Vermont. Nationwide an estimated 65 million low income people experience some form of housing burden ranging from high housing cost, poor quality, overcrowding and homelessness. Nearly 5 million low income households have to spend over 50 percent of their monthly income just to keep a roof over their head. To me, this is unacceptable. As one of the wealthiest countries, we can do better.

During my time in the Senate I have worked hard to promote policies to help increase wages. I believe that it is important to try and alleviate the root causes of poverty as well as create a safety net for those in need. To that end I have fought to increase the minimum wage, pushed for increased funding for secondary and higher education and supported job training programs.

But as we fight this battle we cannot abandon the web of federal housing programs that help ensure all families can afford basic housing. Stable housing is critical to holding down a steady job, raising children and fostering healthy families and communities. From promoting private investment in affordable housing through the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, to opposing drastic cuts to the Section 8 program, I have fought and will continue to fight for those programs that help promote affordable housing. Below are a few of the key issues that I believe are important in this effort.

Homelessness in Vermont

Homelessness is not something that occurs only in large urban areas or that is isolated to city limits; it can just as easily pervade small towns and rural areas. Vermont, like the rest of the nation, struggles with homelessness on a day to day basis. In 2002 there were over 4,000 homeless people in Vermont this included 416 families and 993 children, and unfortunately the number of homeless people in our state has been rising dramatically. In Chittenden County the number of homeless families served by the Committee on Temporary Shelter rose 400 percent in just 5 years.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee I have battled efforts to slash funding for homeless programs. Since 1987, these programs have directed more than $26 million to fight homelessness in Vermont. I also authored the "Hunger Prevention Act of 1988 which included a new initiative to feed homeless children, and I was honored when in 1997 the Committee on Temporary Shelter created the Leahy Leadership Award, an award to recognize a public figure in the community who has gone above and beyond to help create lasting solutions to homelessness. But, if we are truly going to fight homelessness we need to focus on production of new units, an issue I have made the core of my efforts on affordable housing.

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