Rutland struggling to staff homeless shelter for families with kids

RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) - The struggle continues to find staffing for shelters for Vermont's homeless families.

The state last week announced it would set up shelters for 11 families with a total of 21 kids in Williston, Waterbury, Montpelier, and Rutland. However, finding providers to run these shelters remains a challenge.

The now-closed Loretto Home in Rutland is owned by the Catholic Diocese but Mayor Mike Doenges says the plan is still in limbo with no one to staff the transitional shelter. "The state put the brakes on giving the money to Rutland. {It} isn't because the building wasn't available, it was because the services weren't. And time after time what we're seeing throughout the state - not just here in Rutland - is that the service organizations that manage the homeless population are not staffed to handle the influx at the level that we have right now," he said.

The city is still looking for options for short-term housing until the state's winter weather hotel program rules take effect on December 1.