Hope’s House prepares to open as Groundworks moves into a new chapter

At Wednesday’s opening event, leaders emphasized that the shelter was created with safety and dignity in mind while also reflecting lessons learned from the organization’s previous site.

Groundworks Collaborative is set to begin housing residents at Hope’s House during the second week of October, bringing 40 beds into a new shelter built to support people working toward stable housing

The project, completed at a cost of $4.2 million, was developed with funding from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, about $700,000 in donations, and roughly $2 million in New Market Tax Credits arranged by Evernorth. Under that financing structure, the building will be leased to Groundworks for seven years before the organization takes ownership.

At Wednesday’s opening event, leaders emphasized that the shelter was created with safety and dignity in mind while also reflecting lessons learned from the organization’s previous site. Groundworks had operated a shelter at 81 Royal Road from 1979 until April 3, 2023, when shelter coordinator Leah Rosin-Pritchard was killed by a client, according to police. Officials said the new building represents a deliberate effort to improve both the environment and the support offered inside it.

Libby Bennett, Groundworks’ executive director, said the organization wanted a place built around dignity, accountability, safety and hope. She said the agency views shelter as one part of a longer process that includes helping people overcome barriers, set goals and connect with services that can lead to permanent housing.

The shelter carries the name Hope’s House in recognition of Hope Chapman, a Brattleboro resident who donated the original farmhouse with the expectation that the land would help people experiencing homelessness. Members of her family attended the ceremony.

Programming inside the shelter is expected to include life skills work, recovery meetings, art, yoga and sewing. The facility will remain a high-barrier shelter, meaning residents may not use illicit drugs or alcohol while staying there. Groundworks said the building also includes staff meeting rooms, private breakout spaces for case management, and flexible areas that can be rearranged for different activities.

Susan Lienau, Groundworks’ advancement director, said the furniture can be moved to accommodate programs and gatherings. Helen Cornman, who directs shelters for the organization, said the layout is intended to allow residents and community members to participate in activities both inside and outside the building.

Families with children will not be housed there, and no room will hold more than four residents. Three staff members will be on duty at all times, Cornman said, and employees are paid a livable wage based on an MIT calculator for the region.

Groundworks said the project came after public input sessions and meetings with nearby residents. The organization has also worked with the Common Ground Committee, a small group formed by Morningside Commons residents and Groundworks leaders. Bennett said the group’s relationship will continue and that the organization wants to remain responsive to neighbors’ concerns.

The shelter also reflects a broader need in the region. Bennett estimated that 65 to 80 households in southern Windham County are unsheltered on a given night, while about 294 households are currently connected to housing-crisis services.

Groundworks said its work on the new shelter began in January 2024 when it sought funding from VHCB. The idea for a replacement building had been announced in April 2024, when the organization said it planned to tear down the former structures at Morningside House and build a new facility.

Sam Beall, principal at Duncan Wisniewski Architecture, said the team designed the space around trauma-informed principles, with natural light, gardens, outdoor areas and a walking loop. He said the goal was to create a setting that would feel welcoming and reinforce the work happening within the shelter.

Gus Seelig, executive director of VHCB, said the project showed resilience in the face of tragedy and pointed to the ease with which people can lose housing in today’s economy. He thanked the community for allowing the investment.

Brattleboro Select Board member Isaac Evans-Frantz also spoke at the opening, saying the moment marked a fresh start and that efforts should focus on poverty rather than those who are experiencing it. He said the shelter and related support can help people contribute more fully to the community and local economy.

Groundworks said Wednesday’s celebration also recognized the many partners, donors, staff members, project leaders and supporters involved in bringing Hope’s House to completion.