by Commerce Secretary Lindsay Kurrle
Despite the progress we’ve made together, our work to address Vermont’s housing crisis is far from being solved. By 2030, the statewide demand for housing units will exceed 40,000. Right now, we’re on target to build just over 12,000. Without enough housing, our communities and economy stall. Vermont can’t attract or keep the workforce our employers need, and we can’t ensure we have the people power to sustain essential services.
Building more housing isn’t just about numbers. Meaningful change to build more housing means ensuring families can stay together, older Vermonters can age in their communities, and children have the stability they need to thrive and succeed in school.
We must also maintain and rehabilitate the homes we already have, many of which are aging, and in some cases, have fallen into disrepair. Deferred maintenance of older homes is often driven by the increasing tax burden and can remove homes and units from Vermont’s housing supply. Bringing homes back into safe, livable condition is just as important as new construction.
Ultimately, it’s about making sure our mechanics, mail carriers, healthcare providers, educators, public safety officers, and small business owners can live in the communities they serve.
Every day, I hear from businesses, large and small, that are still struggling to hire and retain their employees because of a lack of housing. As Vermonters, we've all been feeling the ramifications of this for years. It’s harder than ever to find the services of the workers we all celebrated as essential during the pandemic.
The sad irony is that the carpenters, plumbers, and electricians, the very people we need to build these homes, cannot find a place to live themselves.
We are at a crossroads. While some policymakers have worked alongside the Administration to champion bold solutions, too many others seem ready to declare victory. We must not accept this shortage as the “new normal”.
This issue will not resolve itself, and the work is not over. Vermonters are still calling for urgent action, asking us to address housing with urgency, not modest attempts. Decision-makers, myself included, have a responsibility to deliver.
Recent legislative sessions saw positive steps: the HOME Act of 2023 interim Act 250 exemptions and the creation of the Community and Housing Infrastructure Program, a tax increment financing program tailored for smaller communities.
These are important, but a challenge of this scale cannot be solved with only the actions taken to date. If we stop now, we fall short and risk failing our state.
This past January, the Governor presented the Pathway to Accelerating and Transforming Housing for Vermont. If adopted by lawmakers, this package would have made Vermont a truly pro-housing state. The plan included modernizing Act 250 and other state permitting, reforming our appeals process, and addressing local permitting barriers. All of which are necessary to bring down costs, unlock private investment, and build housing faster.
Unfortunately, despite these being the most powerful tools policymakers could use to make progress, nearly none of them were embraced by legislators.
Instead, there is a persistent but flawed idea that allocating more and more money will somehow solve this problem. Thinking of spending as a solution is irresponsible budgeting and ignores the root causes. More task forces, commissions, and studies won’t help either, they’ll only result in more complex laws with unintended consequences.
The pursuit of more housing is also about welcoming more people to our state and growing our grand lists. This is how we can reduce pressure on individual taxpayers. Not by raising taxes, but by creating more taxpayers.
So, how can you help?
- Participate in the process. Attend Planning Commission, Development Review Board, Select Board and City Council meetings.
- Communicate with your legislators: Contact the people who represent you in the House and Senate. Let them know you support smart, balanced housing policy focused on furthering the modernization of Act 250, local and state permitting, and appeals. Let them know that you support lowering costs, speeding up construction, and bringing more homes in your community online.
- Put your property to work. Do you have a vacant or underutilized space that could become a home with a little help? See if the Vermont Housing Improvement Program is right for you.
- Be welcoming. People want to move here for all of the same reasons we love living here. Already, we have so much in common.
- Connect with us. How can we help? Reach out at [email protected].
If we are serious about addressing Vermont’s housing crisis, we must keep pushing for meaningful change: invest in what works, modernize outdated regulations, and keep Vermonters at the center of the process. We’ve made progress, but we are not done yet. Our future depends on what we do next.
Lindsay Kurrle is the Secretary for the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, which includes the Departments of Housing and Community Development, Economic Development, and Tourism and Marketing.
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