Vermont Homelessness Remains High with Unsheltered Numbers Rising

Vermont is experiencing a severe and persistent homelessness crisis, with new reports labeling the situation a 'humanitarian crisis' as rates remain at historically high levels. The 2025 Point-in-Time Count identified 3,386 homeless Vermonters in January, including 633 children and 215 seniors, representing a more than 200% increase since 2020. Despite a slight 2% decrease in the overall count from last year, the number of unsheltered individuals surged by over 60%, with advocates attributing this rise to policy changes restricting access to emergency housing programs. By June, the number of homeless Vermonters had risen even further to 4,588, as shelters are overwhelmed and temporary solutions are being dismantled faster than permanent housing can be created. Advocates and officials cite decades of failed housing policies and recent funding cuts as key drivers of the crisis, warning that without bold and immediate action, the problem will continue to escalate. The reports call for significant, sustained investments in affordable housing and homelessness prevention, asserting that the state's current approach is failing to alleviate, and may be worsening, the crisis.