Local homeless shelter is sought

The people behind Patchworks Place would like to open a 10- to 12-bed shelter in Morrisville by Dec. 1.

Patchworks Place will be “a place to patch lives together with dignity,” said the Rev. Rick Swanson, rector at St. John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church in Stowe; he chairs the steering committee.

“We want to meet immediate needs by working with the homeless and those who live in our woods and under our bridges and everyone in between,” Swanson said.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many homeless people live in Lamoille County because many stay temporarily with friends or camp out during warm weather, making them largely invisible.

Lamoille County is one of just a few Vermont counties with no homeless shelter. Individuals and families who find themselves homeless and meet certain qualifications can request emergency overnight stays at hotels in Morrisville, Hardwick and Jeffersonville through the state Agency of Human Services.

Last year, the state provided 608 nights’ worth of stays to Lamoille County families, and 836 nights for individuals.

A tight rental market has worsened the homeless problem. Statewide, the rental vacancy rate is just 1 to 3 percent, well below the 6 to 10 percent considered ideal. Workers who make less than a livable wage, estimated to be over $17 an hour for Lamoille County, can’t afford the average rent for a modest two-bedroom apartment.

When an affordable housing project with 18 apartments opened in downtown Morrisville last fall, it was filled within a month.

Patchworks Place would focus on connecting clients with services, rather than giving them handouts, Swanson said.

“We’re really looking to create a place for bringing people from homelessness to self-sufficiency,” he said.

People who want to use the resource center’s services will have to agree to work with a social worker or social-service agency to get back on their feet.

If they agree, people will be able to use showers, washing machines and clothes dryers. Patchworks Place will also have computers and a post office box for clients applying for jobs.

Opportunities would be set up for homeless people to meet with representatives from local social-service agencies, who can connect them to programs that can help solve their problems.

In the evening, there would be dedicated sleeping quarters for men and women.

Guests at the center will need to submit to safety checks and Breathalyzer tests. Those with alcohol in their systems would be referred to another shelter.

“We will offer a physical space for warmth in the winter and a cool space in the summer,” Swanson said. “We will offer a safe space.”

Since federal and state laws prohibit families from being housed in the same overnight facility as individuals, Patchworks will work to find community volunteers willing to share housing temporarily with homeless families.

A mix of paid employees, community volunteers and workers from local social-service agencies would staff the center.

The right time

Members of Swanson’s church came up with the Patchworks Place idea last June, after attending a conference on local housing issues.

The idea drew strong support when Swanson presented it to local social-service agencies and faith-based groups.

Swanson is surprised at how quickly the project has gained momentum.

Funding will be cobbled together from a number of federal and state sources, along with community fundraisers.

The Vermont Agency of Human Services is moving away from paying for emergency hotel stays and might allow the county government to use the $46,000 allocated for that purpose to fund Patchworks Place instead.

Many details will have to be worked out, such as staffing and whether there will be a limit on how many nights an individual can stay at the resource center.

Swanson hesitates to call the center a homeless shelter because of the stigma the term conveys.

“It immediately says you’re poor,” Swanson said. “It says you have one name. You’re not Mary or John. You’re Homeless. My dream is that this brings dignity back to people.”

Groups working to get the project off the ground include Capstone Community Action, Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley, United Way of Lamoille County, the Lamoille Family Center, the Vermont Agency of Human Services, Lamoille County Mental Health Services, the Lamoille Planning Commission, the Vermont Center for Independent Living, the Lamoille Restorative Center, St. John’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church, and the Most Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church.

Town review

The center would be located on Harrel Street in Morrisville, in the same building with Community College of Vermont, Lamoille Community Food Share and Capstone Community Action.

The steering committee settled on Morrisville after considering locations in Stowe, Hyde Park and Johnson.

Morrisville is ideal because it has access to public transportation, Swanson said.

Additionally, the proposed location is within walking distance of several social-service agencies, he said.

Rumors about the proposal have been swirling around town, drawing mixed reactions, according to Todd Thomas, Morristown’s zoning officer.

“There are some people who think it’s needed,” Thomas said. “There are other people who are concerned that it will act as a magnet.”

The project needs approval from the Morristown Development Review Board because its proposed location is zoned for industrial use, not residential. Some residential properties are nearby, but they were built before the town adopted zoning laws in the 1980s.

The building is one of the last in Morrisville that has access to the village water and sewer system, but continues to use its own septic system. Its owner, Sonny Demars, has offered to hook up to the village system if the board approves the project, according to Tomas.

A hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 22. If the board approves the project, it will likely set conditions on parking, lighting and the number of beds allowed, Thomas said.