Elmwood Shelter Community

How might we create safe and dignified transitional housing community in Burlington, VT?

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A city Responds…

Currently, Burlington Vermont faces a housing crisis like many other urban centers in the US. With affordable housing hard to find, many residents find themselves unhoused and in need of support to get back on their feet facing struggles in finding employment, recovering from substance abuse and accessing mental health services. Our city looked to replicate other successful models of pod shelter communities to support the transition into stable housing and created the Elmwood Shelter Community. This site currently shelters 25-30 individuals at a time and supports in accessing essential services to find sustainable and stable housing, employment and meet other personal goals.

I was honored to be part of the design team and work alongside CEDO, Duncan Wisniewski Architects, and volunteers in our community to create a warm, safe, and supportive space for vulnerable Vermonters.