The Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs Committee and the House General and Housing Committee held a joint hearing to review the Administration’s omnibus housing bill—a collaborative effort demonstrating their commitment to addressing Vermont’s housing crisis this session. The bill includes funding for infrastructure, investments in housing development programs, reforms to housing appeals, and changes to last year’s Act 250 reforms.

Legislators were keenly interested in the presentation and engaged in dialogue as well as debate, particularly with proposed changes to last year’s Act 250 bill. As the bill’s process unfolds, hearing from the groups responsible for mapping and the new Land Use Development Board will be crucial to identifying necessary corrections. This will help ensure that the bill effectively incentivizes development, protects natural resources of statewide significance, and preserves opportunities for all Vermonters to have a voice in these decisions.

These committees are unlikely to be the only ones reviewing this presentation, as land use also falls under the jurisdiction of the House Environment and Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committees. With housing being critical to addressing Vermont’s workforce and demographic challenges, this collaborative approach will hopefully continue throughout the session.