The Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee passed S.226, the which aims to address Vermont’s housing crisis through permit reforms, housing supply, and access issues that will benefit working Vermonters. The bill saw several last-minute changes leading up to the vote to pass it out of committee, including the addition of the contractor registry and rental registry, both of which saw previous iterations vetoed.

Many of the proposals supported by the Vermont Chamber passed including the Missing Middle Homeownership Development program which will address the value gap in building and rehabilitating middle income homes. Funding was also allocated to the Vermont Housing Conservation Board to create an incentive for employers in creating workforce housing opportunities, and an incentive for the conversion of vacant commercial space into housing units. The Vermont Chamber will continue to bring the voice and needs of the business community to decision makers in Montpelier on this important housing legislation.  

The impacts of the Vermont housing crisis on employers was the subject for the Vermont Chamber’s first State to Main Podcast episode. Annmarie Todd of Sugarbush Resort detailed the lengths that businesses have gone to find housing for employees so they can retain and recruit their workforce.