Burlington City Council to discuss homeless pod plan

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Burlington city councilors will now take up the city’s homeless pod project after the plan won approval from the Public Works Commission.

The Burlington City Council on Monday night will discuss a nearly $1.5 million plan to build shelter pods downtown. This is part of the mayor’s plan to address homelessness.

The city says the number of people experiencing homelessness has almost tripled since the pandemic began.

The community, if approved, will include 30 individual shelters, a separate building with showers and sinks, and a community resource center.

In total, it could house up to 40 individuals for the next three years, after which officials believe there will be more permanent housing solutions.

The proposed location is a current parking lot on Elmwood Ave. next to the federal building. The city picked this location because of its access to services like the GMT bus station, Feeding Chittenden, Spectrum and the Howard Center.

Neighbors have had mixed reactions, with some wishing the city had been more upfront about the project’s location or wanting a different location. Others WCAX News talked to are all for more services for the homeless population in the city.

If approved by the City Council, the city will file for zoning and wastewater permits.

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