Good Afternoon –
This session, all roads lead to housing (or lack thereof). The issue is a recurring theme across committees, as it has become a foundational concern for many other key issues. In testimony on funding for paid family leave and childcare from Eli Lesser-Goldsmith of Healthy Living Market and Café, the conversation ultimately became centered on housing, and the need for urgent action to ensure more people can live and work in Vermont. A joint public hearing on housing was also held this week and featured key testimony from Lisa Groeneveld of OnLogic.
While some committees are prioritizing the immediate needs of Vermonters, others are spending time on setting goals to ensure a healthy future for Vermont. Unfortunately, the latter focuses on keeping Vermont undeveloped, without balancing the ability of Vermont to meet housing demands. We know that Vermont’s natural resources can thrive with smart growth development. This is why the Vermont Chamber has introduced the idea, based on data from VHFA, of setting a housing goal of 40,000 new units by 2040 to complement the goals of 30% of land conserved by 2030 and 50% by 2050.
As always, the Vermont Chamber advocacy team can be reached at govaffairs@vtchamber.com.
Sincerely,
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