Jonathan Farrell admits that the name of the organization he is about to lead creates a misconception.
The Committee on Temporary Shelter, a Burlington-based agency focused on helping people experiencing homelessness, has grown since its founding in 1982, Farrell said. The work it does has evolved beyond the “temporary” part of its name into permanent solutions.
“Shelters aren’t the answer,” Farrell said in an interview. “Housing is the answer.”
Farrell, who has worked at COTS for 11 years, will take over as executive director on Nov. 17, replacing longtime director Rita Markley, who announced she was retiring earlier this year.
Markley said COTS conducted an external search, and Farrell, who most recently served as director of facilities and operations, emerged as the best candidate.
“It makes it a lot easier for me to leave this organization I’ve loved and built for 30 years, knowing that someone with his experience and his heart and his talent will be stepping into my former role,” Markley said.
In addition to Farrell’s managerial experience, Markley said, “he also has a deep understanding of the people who need us, and that’s invaluable.”
The organization provides emergency shelter for individuals and families, permanent housing and services to help those experiencing homelessness find and keep their housing.
“It’s a pivotal moment for COTS,” Farrell said. “It’s a leadership change after a long tenure, which in and of itself can be a challenge for any agency or organization. And we’re facing a lot of new pressures in the community that we haven’t seen before.”
Farrell will take over at a crucial point in the fight against homelessness in Burlington. Mayor Miro Weinberger has detailed a plan to “end chronic homelessness,” and as part of that, the city is planning to open a community of “pod” shelters by the end of November, providing temporary housing for up to 40 people. Champlain Housing Trust will run the pods, currently under construction on Elmwood Avenue.
Farrell said he is looking at ways that COTS can help support people who move into the pods, which could include making referrals to the organization’s Waystation, an emergency overnight shelter. He also suggested members of the COTS team could assist people living in the pods to find permanent housing.
Beyond the housing crisis, Farrell cited other challenges, noting that mental health and substance use disorder have been growing problems during his time at COTS. Farrell said in particular he observed an uptick of people with opioid addictions that “become so severe so quickly, which is very different.”
But he said that COTS, which focuses on housing, can’t solve those issues alone. It partners with other agencies, such as the Howard Center, to provide help when needed to “see that there’s hope and there’s people who care.”
Farrell grew up in the Philadelphia area, he said, and came to Vermont after falling in love with the state during a camping trip to Groton State Forest.
“Back then,” he said, “I had a small car, a little snowboard, a dog and a girlfriend and I figured that was a good time to move.”
Before joining COTS, Farrell had been working in architectural salvage. COTS at that time was seeking someone “entrepreneurial” to grow its Housing Resource Center, a service that helps move people experiencing homelessness into housing.
Following his work to expand the housing programs, Farrell took on the new position of director of facilities and operations. He oversaw COTS’ move to its renovated headquarters on North Avenue and its work on a housing development expected to break ground on soon. That project, to be located behind a family shelter on Main Street, would create 16 units of housing.
To further expand its permanent housing offerings, COTS will need to take a “multiple-pronged approach,” Farrell said, including both new construction and making “inroads to existing housing” through partnerships with landlords.
Farrell has a background in historic preservation and served on the board for Preservation Burlington. Rebekah Mott, COTS’ director of development and communications, cited his role in making many of COTS’ facilities well-integrated with their surrounding neighborhoods. Mott said that is particularly important when considering a family shelter where a child might feel stigmatized for being in a shelter.
When asked about the future of COTS, Farrell said he doesn’t plan to go it alone.
“It’s not all my vision,” Farrell said. “We really want to get a lot of input from our staff to see what we’re missing.”
That staff will soon be saying goodbye to Markley, who Farrell said has been a great leader and a mentor for him.
“I’ve learned so much from Rita,” Farrell said. “And one of my hopes is that I can also be that kind of mentor and role model for our staff moving forward.”