Vermont Business Magazine Let’s Build Homes (LBH) is calling on Vermont legislative leaders to take action this session to fix or repeal key provisions of Act 181 that risk worsening the state’s already severe housing shortage and placing undue burdens on rural communities.
In a letter sent to Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth and Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski, LBH urged lawmakers to address the impending implementation of the Act’s “road rule” and Tier 3 provisions, which are scheduled to take effect later this year.
“Our housing shortage is the direct result of decades of restrictive rule-making that has constrained supply, driven up housing prices, and forced young families out of our state,” said Miro Weinberger, Executive Chair of Let’s Build Homes, in the letter. “We have much work to do still to revise and improve rules that drive up housing construction costs, and cannot afford to make this shortage worse”
Vermont’s housing shortage, driven by decades of restrictive state and local policies, continues to strain families, workers, and communities across the state. The high cost of living is pushing young people and families out of Vermont and placing added pressure on schools, employers, and Vermont’s healthcare.
The “road rule” and Tier 3 provisions would introduce significant new permitting requirements and costs for housing development outside designated Tier 1 growth areas. The Vermont Association of Planning and Development Agencies’ (VAPDA) best estimate is that approximately 40% of the state’s housing will need to be built outside of the small share of the state that is expected to be mapped as a Tier 1 housing growth area. Tier 3 and the “road rule” will make it harder to meet these targets.
“Imposing broad new barriers on the part of the state that is projected to account for nearly half our supply is not a viable path forward,” Weinberger said. “After hearing directly from rural Vermonters and seeing the growing, legitimate concerns across the state, it’s clear that delay is no longer a viable solution. Continued uncertainty is unfair to rural communities and harmful to our housing goals.”
LBH also raised concerns about the disproportionate impact these rules could have on rural Vermonters, including farmers, families, and homeowners who may face significant and unpredictable costs for routine property improvements or efforts to create housing for family members. At the same time, the Land Use Review Board has yet to finalize the rules, leaving many Vermonters uncertain about how their land can be used.
Let’s Build Homes is urging the Legislature to act this session to:
- Repeal the “road rule”; and
- Either significantly narrow and clearly define Tier 3 or repeal it altogether.
“Vermont cannot afford to add sweeping new barriers to housing development in the midst of an acute housing shortage,” Weinberger said. “We need policies that reflect the urgency of this moment and the realities facing communities across our state.”
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Vermont Business Magazine