Vermont is one of the few states in the country with an active state-funded motel voucher program for people experiencing homelessness. It is not a metaphor or a sometimes-available local fund — it is a formal state program that has placed thousands of Vermonters in motels, particularly during COVID and its aftermath. Understanding this program and who qualifies is the most important thing to know before you make any calls.
The short version: if you are a Vermont resident who is homeless and meets income and vulnerability criteria, you may be entitled to a motel placement through the state. Call 211. They will screen you.
Vermont’s overall homelessness picture is small in absolute numbers — approximately 1,700 people on any given night — but large relative to the state’s population, driven by a severe affordable housing shortage that has worsened significantly since 2020. Burlington is the only real urban center. Montpelier, Rutland, Barre, and St. Johnsbury have smaller service ecosystems. Rural Vermont — the Northeast Kingdom in particular — is geographically isolated with very limited services, though the state motel program partially offsets this.
This guide from House for Homeless explains how Vermont’s motel voucher system works and what else is available if you don’t qualify.
Need emergency housing in Vermont tonight? Call 211 — available 24 hours statewide. This is your direct line into Vermont’s motel voucher screening system. Veterans call 877-424-3838.
Vermont’s State Motel Voucher Program — How It Actually Works
Vermont’s motel voucher program — administered through the Vermont Agency of Human Services (AHS) and Vermont 2-1-1 — provides state-funded motel stays for eligible households experiencing homelessness. Here is what you need to know:
Who qualifies:
- Households that are literally homeless (not doubled-up or at risk)
- Must have income at or below certain thresholds (varies by program phase)
- Priority given to households with children, elderly members, people with disabilities, and those fleeing domestic violence
- Vermont residency is generally required
How to access it: Call 211. The 211 operator will screen you for the motel voucher program on the call. If you qualify, they will place you — often the same night. If you do not qualify under the state program, 211 will connect you to local shelter and emergency resources.
What it covers: A motel room, paid directly to the motel by the state. You pay nothing. Stays are authorized in short increments (typically weekly) and renewed based on ongoing eligibility and housing search progress.
The catch: Vermont’s motel program has operated under changing eligibility rules since COVID. Funding levels, eligibility criteria, and the number of available slots have shifted multiple times. The 211 operator will tell you what the current rules are. Do not assume you qualify or don’t qualify based on anything you read online — call and ask directly.
If You Don’t Qualify for the State Program — Local Resources
Burlington and Chittenden County
Burlington has Vermont’s most developed emergency housing ecosystem, including shelter capacity that the rest of the state does not have.
Chittenden County CoC / Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) The anchor organization for Burlington’s homeless services. COTS operates emergency shelter and coordinates the regional CoC.
- Phone: 802-864-7402 | cotsvermont.org | Intake: 24 hours for shelter
Howard Center Behavioral health and housing services for people experiencing homelessness in Burlington.
- Phone: 802-488-6000 | howardcenter.org
Salvation Army of Burlington Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers when state funds are unavailable.
- Phone: 802-862-9671 | 211 Shelburne Rd, South Burlington, VT 05403
Cathedral Square (elderly and disabled) Supportive housing and emergency housing resources for elderly and disabled Vermonters.
- Phone: 802-863-7224 | cathedralsquare.org
Chittenden County Social Services TANF emergency funds and emergency housing authorization.
- Phone: 802-863-7485
Central Vermont (Washington County — Montpelier, Barre)
Central Vermont CoC / Washington County Mental Health Coordinates homeless services in the Montpelier-Barre area.
- Phone: 802-229-0591 | wcmhs.org
Salvation Army Barre Emergency housing assistance.
- Phone: 802-476-4460
Washington County Social Services: 802-241-1000
Rutland and Southwest Vermont
Rutland County CoC / Rutland County Community Action Coordinates homeless services in Rutland.
- Phone: 802-775-0878 | rcca-vt.org
Salvation Army Rutland Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers.
- Phone: 802-775-5661 | 24 Wales St, Rutland, VT 05701
Rutland County Social Services: 802-786-5800
Northeast Kingdom (Orleans, Essex, Caledonia counties)
The Northeast Kingdom is Vermont’s most rural and isolated region, with the fewest formal services in the state. The state motel program is particularly important here because there are almost no physical shelters.
Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA) The primary Community Action Agency for the Northeast Kingdom.
- Phone: 802-334-7316 | nekcavt.org
St. Johnsbury Salvation Army Emergency assistance in the Northeast Kingdom.
- Phone: 802-748-8934
If you are in the Northeast Kingdom and 211 screens you into the state motel program, you will likely be placed in a motel in St. Johnsbury or a nearby town. If you do not qualify, NEKCA is your main local option.
Brattleboro and Southeast Vermont (Windham County)
Southeast Vermont CoC / Groundworks Collaborative Lead CoC partner and primary homeless services organization in Brattleboro.
- Phone: 802-254-6486 | groundworksvt.org
- Day services, emergency housing referrals, and outreach
Salvation Army Brattleboro Emergency housing assistance.
- Phone: 802-254-2890
Windham County Social Services: 802-257-2800
What Vermont’s Housing Crisis Actually Looks Like
Vermont’s housing market has become one of the tightest in New England. Vacancy rates in Burlington hover near zero. The pandemic drove significant in-migration from Massachusetts and New York, which pushed rents sharply higher across the state — including in rural areas that previously had low costs. Many people experiencing homelessness in Vermont are working adults who simply cannot find housing they can afford, not people with chronic homelessness histories.
This context matters for the motel program: a significant portion of Vermont motel voucher recipients are employed or recently employed people who fell behind on rent during the housing market spike, not people with long-term service needs. If this describes you, say so clearly when you call 211 — it affects how your situation is assessed.
For people actively trying to prevent losing housing before they become homeless, Vermont has a Rental Assistance Program through the Vermont State Housing Authority. Call 211 or contact VSHA at 802-828-3295. Getting ahead of homelessness is easier than getting out of it.
What to Do Once You Have a Motel Placement
Vermont’s motel program is designed as a bridge, not a destination. Case managers are assigned to motel residents to help them move toward permanent housing. Engage with your case manager from day one — the program has accountability requirements and people who don’t engage can lose their placement.
Apply for Vermont SNAP at dcf.vermont.gov or call 1-800-479-6151. Zero income means maximum food assistance benefits and expedited 7-day processing.
Apply for Vermont Medicaid (Green Mountain Care) at the same site. Covers healthcare, mental health, and substance use treatment.
Ask your case manager to refer you to Vermont’s rental assistance programs — VSHA and local CAAs administer these, and a motel resident who is actively pursuing housing is often prioritized.
Apply for Section 8 through your local Vermont housing authority. Burlington Housing Authority: 802-864-0538. Vermont’s waitlists are extremely long, but knowing how the voucher program works from the start keeps you from common errors that get people removed. Explore other housing voucher options alongside Section 8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Vermont really have a state motel voucher program?
Yes — Vermont has operated a state-funded motel voucher program that has placed thousands of homeless residents in motels at state expense. The program has gone through multiple phases since COVID, with changing eligibility rules and funding levels. The only way to know if you currently qualify is to call 211 and be screened in real time. Do not assume the answer is yes or no based on what you read online — the rules change.
Why does Vermont have a motel voucher program when most states don’t?
Vermont has historically had a strong policy commitment to preventing homelessness and a relatively progressive political environment willing to fund emergency housing. The COVID pandemic accelerated this — the federal government funded massive motel programs nationally in 2020–2021, and Vermont continued a version of this program with state funds after federal money ran out. Other states ended their programs; Vermont maintained one, though in modified form.
What if I am homeless in rural Vermont with no shelter nearby?
The state motel program is specifically valuable in this situation — it places you in a nearby motel rather than requiring you to travel to Burlington. Call 211 and describe your location. If you qualify, you will be placed in the closest available motel. If you do not qualify, NEKCA (802-334-7316) serves the Northeast Kingdom, and Groundworks (802-254-6486) serves the southeast. Local churches in Vermont’s small towns also maintain small emergency funds that 211 operators often know about.
I was working until recently and lost my housing to rising rents. Does that affect my eligibility?
It may help your case. Vermont’s motel program has at various points prioritized people who are housing-unstable due to economic factors rather than chronic homelessness — working adults and families displaced by the housing market are often seen as good candidates for rapid rehousing. Be honest about your employment history when you call 211. The more complete your picture, the better the screener can match you to the right program.
Are there hotel vouchers for domestic violence survivors in Vermont?
Yes, and DV survivors are consistently prioritized in Vermont’s motel program. Additionally, local DV organizations can arrange emergency placements independently of the state program. The Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence hotline is 1-800-228-7395 — available 24 hours. They can arrange placement and connect you to local DV shelter resources without requiring you to navigate the standard 211 process.
Are there hotel vouchers for homeless veterans in Vermont?
Yes — veterans should call 877-424-3838 rather than the general 211 line. Vermont’s primary VA facility is the White River Junction VA Medical Center, which serves all of Vermont and has dedicated homeless veteran programs including HUD-VASH and SSVF rapid rehousing. Veterans in the Burlington area may also access services through the Burlington VA Outpatient Clinic.
What happens if the state motel program is full or I don’t qualify?
Call Burlington’s COTS shelter at 802-864-7402 if you can reach Burlington. In Brattleboro, call Groundworks at 802-254-6486. In Rutland, call the Salvation Army at 802-775-5661. Your county social services office can sometimes authorize an emergency hotel stay through TANF funds for families with children — call your county office and explain the urgency. Local churches in Vermont towns are often more resourced than in other states and worth calling directly.
Is Vermont’s housing crisis really as bad as people say?
For low-income Vermonters, yes. Vermont has among the lowest rental vacancy rates in New England, rents have risen sharply since 2020, and the state’s small size means that market shocks hit proportionally harder. A Burlington studio that rented for $900 in 2019 might be $1,400 now, in a state where median wages have not kept pace. The people in Vermont motels through the state program are in many cases people who were stably housed not long ago.