Members of the COTS Advisory Council help prepare transitional units at Canal Street Apartments to welcome homeless veterans. Pictured: Kevin Maloney, left, and Ed Von Sitas

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By Margo Callaghan

On a peripheral level, we all know what Committee On Temporary Shelter (COTS) is, and what it's about: COTS, formed in 1982, is now the largest service provider for the homeless in Vermont. COTS owns and operates 10 facilities in the Burlington area which address the immediate needs of individuals and families who will not have a place to sleep tonight.

It is triage for an epidemic that worsened exponentially due to a severe economic downturn and housing crisis.

What goes far beyond the triage is the ongoing effort of COTS to provide preventative measures to fight homelessness. This is by way of education programs designed to instruct clients in the importance of budgets and financial management, knowledge of computer skills, and job interviewing strategies. Such preventative efforts dovetail with the COTS Housing Resource Center (HRC) program, established in October of 2008, with the mission of averting homelessness. In its first year, the program assisted 351 low-income households experiencing financial crisis to avert homelessness. HRC is funded through support of corporate sponsors, one of which is Citizens Bank. According to Citizens' Vice President Brigitte Richie, "Our support of COTS' initiatives speaks to our corporate commitment and giving guidelines. The health of our business is linked to the health of our community, and all of its members," Ritchie supplied. COTS Executive Director Rita Markley praised Citizens' ongoing support, saying "not only does Citizens Bank help COTS meet the immediate needs of the homeless through shelter, but also works to address the long-term needs by assisting with prevention through the Housing Resource Center."

In housing, but at risk

HRC deals with clients who are in eminent danger of losing their homes. According to Becky Holt, COTS Director of Development, "These are people who have experienced an event or series of events that are out of their control — often times a serious illness, or loss of a job. These are people close to the edge. Their car breaking down or a reduction in their work hours is all it takes to push them over." Holt went on, "most of us have a safety net," referring to money in a savings account, or a supportive family structure, "but not everyone does." She explained that assisting this population, allowing them to stay in their existing homes, is of the utmost importance — not only for the sake of the individual, but to ease the stress on demand for COTS shelters. Additionally, it is far less expensive to offer assistance, by way of providing small emergency grants to these at-risk individuals and households, than to have them face a move into a shelter. Such grants are offered to qualified households, and are typically used to help cover back rent or mortgage payments in arrears. By averting evictions, HRC averts homelessness. According to Holt, HCR assisted 450 low-income individuals and families stay in their housing last year. Another 278 households were assisted by HRC in funding security deposits which allowed them to move from a COTS shelter into permanent housing."Indications are strong and positive for the success of this program," Holt stated. "There will always be a need for prevention — that's what the future of COTS is."

For Veterans

The newest COTS project is aimed at assisting with the unique needs of veterans facing homelessness. With its ribbon cutting ceremony, held Jan. 10, Canal Street Apartments is currently accepting applications for 16 "transitional" apartments and 12 long term rental units available in the five story building located on West Canal Street in Winooski. According to Holt, the project isn't a "shelter," but rather a housing program, brought to fruition through a joint effort between COTS and Housing Vermont in conjunction with the Veterans Administration (VA). "Canal Street has been designed specifically to meet the needs of veterans," Holt explained, emphasizing that the new facility will offer vets returning from their tours of duty the precious commodity of time: to allow for mental and perhaps physical reclamation upon their return from duty. Applicants for residency are asked to commit to a minimum six-month stay but no longer than the maximum stay of two years. During their residency, vets will be able to take part in training, education, and employment programs to assist their transition process. Annual federal funding through the VA will provide rental assistance and social services programs designed to allow veterans to move to more independent housing. Residents will be linked to services at the VA Outpatient Clinic to address medical/mental health needs, evaluations, and substance abuse treatment.

Holt elaborated on the design of the 16 "transitional" apartments: studio apartments are designated for individuals, and two bedroom apartments allow for spouses and children to live at Canal Street. COTS did their homework by forming a Veterans Advisory Council comprised of local Vietnam Veterans who advised in the planning of the facility's layout and programs. "We found out that bathrooms and kitchens are 'flash points' for stress," Holt supplied. Thus the 24,840 square foot complex includes large, open communal areas, but the living suites include private kitchens and baths. "If a vet wants to socialize, the layout supports that. If they need privacy, their suite provides that." The facility has a full time case manager to work with the residents, plus a live-in residential manager, not yet hired who will be a veteran, and will reside at Canal Street.

Canal Street's top two floors have been designed to offer 12 affordable long-term apartments: 10 efficiency apartments, and two 2-bedroom units.