A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Burlington, Vermont.

A respectful place to begin, whether you are looking for support for yourself, worried about someone you love, or trying to respond to a safety, housing, care, or practical concern in Burlington and Chittenden County.

People first.Then the stuff.A Fight the Blight initiative

Start here - Fight the Blight

You do not have to know the perfect next step.

Fight the Blight is the nonprofit and virtual-group front door for people affected by hoarding and clutter concerns, including people who are directly affected and supporters who want to learn how to provide support. People in Burlington and Chittenden County can also use current city, county, state, nonprofit, peer-support, qualified-care, housing, shelter, food, legal, utility, transit, code, disposal, and practical pathways. No outside listing is an endorsement; each organization sets its own eligibility, cost, hours, service area, capacity, consent, and safety rules.

Connect with Fight the Blight Call or text (724) 739-3785
For immediate danger

For immediate danger, fire, serious injury, or a life-threatening medical emergency, call 911. For behavioral-health crisis support in Chittenden County, call Howard Center First Call at 802-488-7777 or call or text 988. Howard Center Mental Health Urgent Care is a weekday walk-in option for adults in a self-defined mental-health crisis; confirm current hours and limits. Beginning September 1, 2026, Vermont 211 remains available 8 a.m.-10 p.m. for community-resource navigation, while General Assistance emergency-housing intake and vouchers are handled by Vermont Economic Services during regular weekday hours at 1-800-775-0506. Emergency routes are not hoarding-support or cleanup services.

First conversations

A few good places to start

You do not need to know the perfect service name before reaching out. These organizations can help you understand the landscape and identify a next step.

Free statewide navigation for housing, shelter, food, health, mental health, benefits, transportation, and legal help - Vermont; current hours and provider rules apply

Vermont 211

Vermont 211 is a free, confidential information-and-referral pathway for housing, food, health, crisis, benefits, transportation, legal, and community support. Its current notice says that beginning September 1, 2026 it remains available 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily for community-resource navigation, while General Assistance emergency-housing intake and vouchers move to Vermont Economic Services during regular weekday hours. Confirm the current route, eligibility, and capacity before relying on a referral.

Visit Vermont 211 211
Community mental-health, substance-use, developmental-disability, counseling, and crisis-support pathway - Chittenden County; intake and program rules apply

Howard Center

Howard Center provides mental-health, substance-use, developmental-disability, family, counseling, residential, and crisis supports to children, adults, and families in Chittenden County. Ask about intake, current program availability, interpreter support, insurance, and whether a concern fits ongoing services. This is not a cleanup provider.

Review Howard Center 802-488-6000
Public housing, rental assistance, housing retention, and resident-support pathways - Burlington; housing-program and referral rules apply

Burlington Housing Authority

Burlington Housing Authority provides affordable housing, rental subsidies, and resident support. Its current materials describe assistance for low-income and vulnerable households and a Housing Retention team for residents at risk of losing housing. Confirm current income limits, waitlists, application steps, reasonable accommodations, and capacity.

Review Burlington Housing Authority 802-864-0538
Housing-stability support for hoarding, housekeeping, squalor, lease compliance, and housing-loss risk - BHA residents and participants; referral rules apply

BHA Housing Retention and Services

BHA says Housing Retention specialists can support households facing hoarding, housekeeping, or squalor concerns; coordinate with service partners; address lease compliance; and, when appropriate, coordinate removal of contents from a hoarded unit. The program typically does not provide packing, moving, storage, legal advice, or guaranteed cleanup. Referrals are triaged within two business days and require the resident's consent before sharing case details with outside providers.

Review housing-retention support 802-540-3202
Free civil-legal help - Vermont; housing, eviction, benefits, disability, health care, discrimination, abuse, and consumer eligibility rules apply

Vermont Legal Aid and Legal Services Vermont

Vermont Legal Aid and Legal Services Vermont coordinate civil legal assistance for eligible Vermonters. Ask about housing, benefits, disability accommodations, health care, discrimination, abuse, or landlord issues. Legal aid is not an emergency service or cleanup provider, and intake and capacity rules apply.

Get free legal-help information 1-800-889-2047
Community medical, dental, and behavioral-health care - Burlington; intake, insurance, and payment rules apply

Community Health Centers of Burlington

The City of Burlington identifies Community Health Centers of Burlington as a local source of medical, dental, and behavioral-health services for underserved residents, including people with low income or no insurance. Ask about current intake, insurance or payment, language access, and whether the requested care fits. This is not a cleanup or emergency-dispatch service.

Review Community Health Centers 802-864-6309

Safety and stability

When the concern involves safety, housing, or crisis

These pathways serve different situations. Read the labels carefully before calling, especially when a response may involve crisis care, protective services, shelter, housing rules, legal advocacy, or emergency dispatch.

Immediate danger and emergency dispatch - Burlington and Vermont; use for fire, medical emergency, violence, or immediate threat

911 Emergency Services

Call 911 for immediate danger, fire, a medical emergency, violence, or a threat that cannot wait for a scheduled service. Emergency dispatch is not a hoarding-support program, counseling service, or cleanup provider.

Call 911 911
Mental-health and substance-use crisis support - Nationwide and Vermont; free, confidential, 24/7

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 for emotional distress, a mental-health or substance-use crisis, or concern about someone else. 988 is not a cleanup provider and does not guarantee an in-home response; call 911 for immediate danger.

Call or text 988 988
24/7/365 mobile crisis service with phone, in-person support, assessment, stabilization, and referral - Chittenden County; crisis rules apply

Howard Center First Call for Chittenden County

Howard Center's First Call provides phone and in-person crisis support, assessment, short-term crisis management, referrals, and community-resource information. It is for crisis support, not routine decluttering or property cleanup. Call 911 for a medical emergency or immediate danger.

Review First Call crisis support 802-488-7777
Free weekday walk-in mental-health urgent care - Burlington; adults 18+ in a self-defined crisis; medical-care and hours limits apply

Howard Center Mental Health Urgent Care

Howard Center's Mental Health Urgent Care is a therapeutic alternative to an emergency-department visit for adults experiencing a self-defined mental-health crisis. The current page lists weekday walk-in service from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1 South Prospect Street, with mental-health support free for the first three years and physical-health services billed through insurance. Confirm current holiday hours and whether the situation fits urgent care.

Review Mental Health Urgent Care 802-488-6482
Protective-services pathway for abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect of vulnerable adults - Vermont; reporting and investigation rules apply

Vermont Adult Protective Services

Vermont directs concerns about abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults to Adult Protective Services. APS is not a routine hoarding intervention and does not guarantee a particular outcome. The Vermont Judiciary describes vulnerability and reporting rules; confirm current intake instructions and use 911 for immediate danger.

Review Vermont adult protection 1-800-564-1612
City minimum-housing, rental-registry, trash, exterior-condition, and tenant-advocacy pathway - Burlington city limits; complaint and enforcement rules apply

Burlington Housing Division and Code Enforcement

Burlington's Housing Division and Code Enforcement work on rental registration, minimum-housing inspections, property standards, trash or illegal-dumping concerns, and tenant or landlord advocacy. A complaint may lead to inspection, notice, deadlines, or enforcement; it is not a voluntary cleanup service or guaranteed funding.

Review Burlington Housing Division 802-865-7000
City building, housing, rental, health, zoning, nuisance-abatement, and code-enforcement department - Burlington; inspection and permit rules apply

Burlington Permitting and Inspections

The city department oversees building permits, code enforcement, zoning, rental registration, minimum-housing inspection, health orders, nuisance abatement, illegal dumping, and the current Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code. It is a municipal safety and compliance pathway, not a hoarding-support or cleanup provider.

Review permitting and inspections
State emergency-housing intake and motel/hotel-voucher pathway - Vermont; application, household, income, seasonal, and housing-search rules apply

Vermont General Assistance Emergency Housing

Vermont Economic Services Division administers General Assistance emergency housing and related basic-needs programs. Current Vermont 211 guidance says intake and vouchers are handled by ESD during regular weekday hours, with the ESD housing line at 1-800-775-0506; after-hours community-resource navigation remains available through 211. Confirm current eligibility, contribution, placement, documentation, and housing-search rules.

Review Vermont emergency housing 1-800-775-0506
Daytime warming and resource center with meals, benefits help, housing resources, and survival support - Burlington; hours and capacity vary

CVOEO Community Resource Center

CVOEO's Community Resource Center serves people experiencing homelessness and other community members in need. Its current page lists meals and hot drinks, phone access, public-benefits navigation, interim-housing case management, housing resources, and survival support at 228 North Winooski Avenue. Confirm current hours and weather-related changes before traveling.

Review CVOEO Community Resource Center 802-318-4166
Civil-legal screening for eviction, foreclosure, health care, disability, benefits, housing discrimination, abuse, and landlord problems - Vermont; eligibility and capacity rules apply

Vermont Legal Aid How to Get Help

Vermont Legal Aid explains how to request free civil legal help through its shared intake system. Use it early when housing, benefits, disability accommodations, or abuse concerns are involved. It cannot handle every case and is not an emergency service.

Review legal-help intake

People and practical help

Housing, food, care, transportation, and ongoing support

These listings connect the local community with housing, food, behavioral health, benefits, transit, survivor advocacy, disability support, peer support, and practical resources. Ask about current availability, cost, scope, consent, and safety before relying on them.

Shelter, housing navigation, meals, showers, laundry, and homelessness support - Burlington; age, location, capacity, and intake rules apply

Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS)

COTS lists a daytime Daystation for adults, an overnight Waystation for single adults, and family shelters with housing navigation and support. The current page lists Daystation hours of 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 95 North Avenue, Waystation overnight hours at 58 Pearl Street, and family shelter intake through the Housing Resource Center. COTS prioritizes people currently in the area and warns that beds and funds are limited; call before relocating to Burlington.

Review COTS shelter and housing help 802-864-7402
Tenant education, housing navigation, fuel, weatherization, and community-action support - Vermont and Burlington area; eligibility and program rules apply

CVOEO Housing and Renter Support

CVOEO offers renter education, housing navigation, fair-housing and mobile-home support, fuel assistance, and weatherization pathways. Ask about current workshops, language access, documentation, fees, and whether the household's situation fits a program.

Review CVOEO housing help 802-660-3455
Food shelf, grocery delivery, and community nutrition - Chittenden County; household, screening, distribution, and availability rules apply

Feeding Champlain Valley

Feeding Champlain Valley operates a Burlington food shelf and other food hubs and shelves serving Chittenden and neighboring counties. Its current page lists the Burlington location at 228 North Winooski Avenue, Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and describes food-shelf and delivery pathways. Confirm current hours, screening, delivery eligibility, and inventory before traveling.

Find food support 802-658-7939
Peer support, community connection, housing, and recovery navigation - Burlington and Vermont; current groups and hours vary

Pathways Vermont Morgan's Place Peer Support Center

Pathways Vermont's peer-support programs are staffed by people with lived experience of mental-health crises, trauma, substance use, and homelessness. Morgan's Place and the Pathways Community Center offer peer connection, drop-in support, and community programming; confirm current location, hours, group schedule, and whether a specific need fits.

Review Pathways Vermont peer support 833-888-2557
Food, shelter, housing, counseling, and support for youth and young adults - Vermont and Chittenden County; age and program rules apply

Spectrum Youth and Family Services

Spectrum supports youth and young adults with basic needs, emergency shelter, housing, counseling, and other services. Ask about current residential availability, age range, referrals, and whether the requested support is available in Burlington.

Review Spectrum Youth and Family Services 802-864-7423
Statewide housing, rental, home-repair, and housing-stability information - Vermont; funding, program, and eligibility rules apply

Vermont Housing Finance Agency

VHFA provides statewide housing information and programs. It is not a direct cleanup provider or guaranteed grant source. Ask which current local or regional programs may help with housing stability, repairs, accessibility, or affordable rental and ownership options.

Review Vermont housing resources
Federal housing counseling, homelessness, safe-housing, and housing-authority navigation - Vermont; program and eligibility rules apply

HUD Vermont Housing Resources

HUD's Vermont page points residents to housing counselors, local housing authorities, homelessness help, fair-housing information, and 211. HUD is not a direct service provider; confirm the local program, intake route, and current waitlist.

Review HUD Vermont resources
Free family education, support groups, and peer connection - Vermont; group schedules and registration rules vary

NAMI Vermont

The City of Burlington identifies NAMI Vermont as a source of free education and support for people living with mental illness and people who care about them. Confirm current class and group schedules, registration, eligibility, and whether a family-support pathway fits.

Review NAMI Vermont 802-876-7949
Burlington civil-legal office and statewide legal projects - Vermont; issue, eligibility, and capacity rules apply

Vermont Legal Aid Burlington Office

Vermont Legal Aid's Burlington office and statewide legal projects address housing, disability, elder law, public benefits, health care, discrimination, and abuse-related civil matters. Call before visiting because public hours and intake procedures can change.

Review Vermont Legal Aid locations 802-863-5620
Public bus, accessible service, and regional transportation - Burlington and Chittenden County; route, fare, schedule, and eligibility rules apply

Green Mountain Transit

Green Mountain Transit publishes current routes, service alerts, fares, and access information for Burlington and the surrounding region. Check current service alerts, accessibility, paratransit eligibility, and trip-planning rules before arranging a housing, food, medical, or support visit.

Review Green Mountain Transit 802-864-2282
Free public information, computers, internet, and community connection - Burlington; branch hours and program availability vary

Burlington Public Library

Burlington's Fletcher Free Library provides free public access to information, computers, internet, programs, and community connection. It is not a clinical, crisis, housing, or cleanup service; confirm current branch hours and accessibility.

Visit the Fletcher Free Library
Qualified-care and support search - National directory with Vermont and telehealth options; provider credentials, fees, and availability must be verified

IOCDF Hoarding Resource Directory

The International OCD Foundation directory can help people search for therapists, programs, support groups, organizers, and task forces with hoarding-related experience. IOCDF says listings are not endorsements and provider information can change; confirm credentials, licensure, fees, insurance, service area, privacy, wait time, and fit directly.

Search the IOCDF directory
Practical and peer support - Private-pay pathway; confirm fit, scope, pacing, privacy, travel, and fees

The Peer Tree

The Peer Tree is the private-pay pathway for organizing help, nonclinical hoarding and clutter support, groups, family guidance, and practical next steps when a grant or public program is not the right fit. Ask about scope, cost, travel, consent, safety, and whether the requested support is available in Burlington.

Visit The Peer Tree
Digital peer support - Available online; for people directly affected and supporters; not therapy, clinical care, crisis, or emergency support

Unburied

Unburied, from The Peer Tree, offers a judgment-free digital peer-support pathway with groups and tools for people directly affected by hoarding and clutter concerns and for friends, family, property managers, municipal workers, nonprofits, and other supporters who want to learn how to help. It is not therapy, clinical care, a crisis service, or emergency support.

Explore Unburied

A note from the Alliance

Start with the person. Then decide what the situation needs.

This guide is anchored in Burlington, Vermont, and includes city, county, state, nonprofit, national, and independent pathways. A listing here does not mean Fight the Blight endorses every provider or can guarantee availability. The Hoarding Alliance is not a city or county agency, therapy practice, emergency service, or cleanup company. We will keep reviewing this page, but please confirm details directly before relying on them.

Need help choosing a path? Contact Fight the Blight