Expediting the development of housing stock continues to drive discussion as both the House and Senate wade through the bills amending Act 250, housing regulation, and the designation programs. The Senate Natural Resources Committee took testimony from planners and public and private housing developers, including Vermont Chamber members. The practical feedback provided from these experts on State and local level regulations brought attention to the added time and expense and the duplicative and unclear permitting processes which can add to projects in smart growth areas. With this feedback it is unlikely that either S.234 or S.200 will advance in their current forms as both create additional  responsibilities for poorly resourced municipalities and uncertainty for developers.

The housing crisis was discussed in a powerful conversation during the session on supporting BIPOC businesses and Vermont professionals of color at the Vermont Chamber’s Annual Economic Conference held earlier this week. Participants shared insights and stories about their experiences with housing in Vermont.