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Important Events Notices

Housing Retention Site-Based Services

We developed a Site-based Housing Retention program to better assist residents at several of BHA's larger housing developments to avoid homelessness due to a variety of challenges and barriers. 

Site-based housing retention is available at the following BHA housing developments for seniors and adults with disabilities: 

  • Decker Towers, 230 Saint Paul Street, Burlington
  • South Square Apartments, 101 College Street, Burlington
  • Champlain Apartments 10 North Champlain Street, Burlington
  • Dettman Place, 36 King Street, Burlington

BHA's Site-based Housing Retention Specialists (Site-based HRS) work in collaboration with BHA property managers to serve residents living at these properties. An HRS in the building allows for relationship development, establishment of consistent support, and a more intense approach to service provision. The HRS works with the SASH program to support healthy residents.

Because the work of the Site-based HRS is flexible and non-categorical, services vary by case. All services are provided using a person-centered trauma-informed approach. 

Supportive counseling related to challenges with maintaining housing can include:

  • Referrals to other service providers for mental health, substance use disorder, medical, and/or legal support
  • Advice on budgeting and general money management support, including referral for payee services 
  • Assistance in securing back-rent and money owed from supporting organizations in the community 
  • Support in dealing with domestic violence and custody issues (in conjunction with DCF)
  • Convening and facilitating team meetings with other providers to strengthen awareness and forge a collaborative approach to service-provision
  • Support in addressing lease compliance (including neighbor and property management mediation)
  • Coordinating efforts to remove contents from a hoarded unit
  • High-level guidance related to maintaining a HUD rental subsidy (e.g., reporting changes of income, attendance at briefings, move and lease-up process)
  • Support in identifying and securing consistent childcare and transportation
  • Coordinating and/or occasionally providing transportation related to the service plan (i.e. Reach Up appointment, Family Safety Planning meeting, to or from residential treatment)
  • Referral to BHA's Family Self-Sufficiency Program or similar program to work on empowerment and economic stability and growth
  • Housing search when current unit cannot be salvaged 
  • Other items as identified in the Service and Intervention Plan

While the services and support provided by the HRS are flexible and person-centered, they do not include the providing following services:

  • Packing or moving services
  • Determining about status of housing application or current rental assistance
  • Legal services or advice
  • Supervising visits for child visitation through DCF
  • Payee services, collecting rent or security deposit, bringing rent to a landlord, or collecting money of any kind from the client/household
  • Temporary or permanent storage of client belongings
  • Briefing any outside provider about the details of a case, including the property manager/landlord without express consent, in the form of a written release from the client

While the Site-based HRS is trained in crisis support, the goal is to work with residents before they reach a point of crisis by providing upstream supportive counseling and connection to services. Additionally, we can provide crucial support post-crisis that helps households stay on track with their housing stability. The Site-based HRS works in close collaboration with First Call of Chittenden County and Howard's Street Outreach Team to provide varying levels of pre- and acute-crisis intervention when necessary.

To make a referral for Site-based Housing Retention Services, please click here.

For questions relating to Site-based Housing Retention Services, please contact:

Crystal Jones 
Director of Housing Retention and Services
802-540-3265
cjones@burlingtonhousing.org


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