1999 Best Practices
Success Stories

Program Name:	Homeward Bound Partnership
Program Focus:	Affordable Housing
Geographic Area:	New England

State:	Vermont
City:	Burlington

Executive Summary
Like many cities across the nation, Burlington, VT, must wrestle with two distinct but related issues: homelessness and insufficient vacant housing. The Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) and Community On Temporary Shelter (COTS), a nonprofit organization, have formed a coalition to develop a viable solution to this dilemma.

Currently, less than one percent of the housing in Burlington is vacant and affordable. Under the leadership of Janet Silverstein, COTS and BHA staff have developed a joint homelessness-to-home transition program. The program includes a number of components. One is a communal voice mailbox service, which potential landlords can use to post rental information that individuals and families can access with ease. HUD Section 8 vouchers are another feature, as are case-management services administered by Burlington’s Social Services Mental Health, Domestic Violence and Drug Abuse units. The ongoing case-management services help to alleviate concerns that landlords have regarding participation in the program.

To date, the homeless-to-home transition program, which is part of the Burlington Continuum of Care, has proved to be very successful. Through a community-wide effort, individuals, couples and families have been able to secure housing despite a consistently tight housing market. During a one-year period, 79 individuals and 70 families located affordable and vacant housing. The public, including potential landlords, has been kept informed through an aggressive media campaign that included an open house and television coverage.

The success of the program illustrates the value of collaborative efforts within a community to solve housing problems. Armed with the knowledge and resources developed through the coalition, some 145 individuals, couples and families in Burlington now have a home or apartment to call their own.

Partners: Community on Temporary Shelter (COTS), Burlington Housing Authority, and Burlington Social Services’ Mental Health, Domestic Violence, and Drug Abuse units.

Financing: HUD provided Family Unification Vouchers and funding for staffing.

Point of Contact: Janet Silverstein, Phone: (802) 864-2629, E-mail: rentopp@together.net