Ways of Seeing: The unhoused could easily be us

I pull up to the stoplight, and there she is, standing with her cardboard sign — HOMELESS. ANYTHING HELPS – looking hopefully to each driver. It’s morning. By afternoon will she still be hopeful? Her eyes are tired, her hair unkempt, her coat too thick for the weather today.

These are all real people with individual histories like those of us with homes. In other words, they are people, not “problems.”

A recent spike in Middlebury’s houseless population is prompting a renewed sense of urgency among town officials to enact an “encampment policy” to delineate which parts of the community’s public property should be off limits for overnight, outdoor stays.

That Middlebury’s houseless population has become more problematic is an outcome of doing too little for too long. The issue has been recognizable for several years but came to a head a year ago when downtown vandalism and disruption prompted two dozen do … (read more)

We continue to offer outreach, services, and support to the growing community of homeless neighbors, but some of us are starting to wonder: what is the point of this when there is literally no room at the inn?

It is not compassionate to have people exposed to the elements. It is not freedom to be allowed to take drugs; drug addicts are slaves to their addiction.

On behalf of the Addison County Housing Coalition, I am writing to let you know about changes in the State of Vermont General Assistance program for people who are currently unhoused in our county.

I’m confused as to why the approach to the homeless problem in Middlebury would be to criminalize “homelessness” rather than enforce the current laws that are broken on a daily basis; public intoxication, assault, disorderly conduct, theft, etc.?

The town of Middlebury is considering an encampment policy that would give community officials more guidance on potentially regulating temporary settlements of houseless individuals within the shire town.

As a person that works with the homeless, not houseless, homeless, and as a homeless person myself, I found the Addison Independent’s July 4 article on Steven Parsons to be quite self-serving.

Local advocates and outreach workers shared their thoughts on the current status of the houseless community and how it has reacted to the recent suicide of one of its own.

I’m out here sleeping in the cold. I do work but it takes so much to save and with rising prices on everything it’s extremely hard.

During my short time working at the Middlebury Office of the Vermont Department of Health, much of my exposure to homelessness has focused on what is most visible — what I see downtown, what I hear of disruptions, what urgent issues are discussed at meeti … (read more)

When Salisbury’s Zachary Dunn graduated from Middlebury Union High School in 2019, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do — other than attend the University of Vermont.

Houseless or unhoused gives no respect for the experience or depth of pain of someone who lacks a stable, safe place to live. Homelessness was painful.