City of Rutland requests vacant property owners to prepare as state hotel-motel program fades [Video]

The City of Rutland held a meeting requesting vacant property owners to make preparations ahead of a possible increase in homelessness Wednesday.The meeting has been prompted by the dwindling hotel-motel voucher program that grew during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two years later, the state will soon be unable to provide voucher extensions and has created worry among city leaders and homeless advocates. Wednesday’s meeting was run by Mayor Mike Doenges and Kevin Blongy with Building and Zoning. “Our basic concern is that this is no fault of the City of Rutland, this is the state that created this program and is now ending it with no real exit plan,” Blongy said. The mayor says the effects are already starting to take shape. “A majority of individuals have been using all of their vouchers throughout the summer to stay in the hotels. The reason that this is being brought to attention now …