[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6221662,"mediaKeyId","3611728-a1be57532d8a97129213fbe26a59da8e","parentId",3611728,"title","Rep. Elizabeth Burrows urges universal-design study to address severe housing accessibility gap","audioSeconds",677,"startMs",425000,"endMs",1102000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3611728-a1be57532d8a97129213fbe26a59da8e&start=425&end=1102","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3611728-a1be57532d8a97129213fbe26a59da8e/thumbnail_425000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6221662/Vermont/Rep-Elizabeth-Burrows-urges-universal-design-study-to-address-severe-housing-accessibility-gap","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6221662-684430bfd6c1f350476da1fadadb16b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501851&Signature=FJqg5dDV9Myb-lo5YWwYvB407e5p0MJxw0MErPONACcHv6MM2NeQro66xwXqkDRXoshGNkaVAQWAHQsC8AaavgxH2r9roHI4sQwzAR0GX4hTrkWGnGUriYO49xpag9gR1Zx7qkdJzn37Ut2rI-Rn~9BXWO~b6rhb448xxepBZ7td3I9RuBKe30w1G6UfeabyMCZQL1jiRT-df6YwevkBXZVzl~zDQ6C3BcuxN-s87BjGu4grxpEUJ2WM-jch-cz-EIW4nUUoBqI5yfOTxRUEAtZLmqaoUlGlMj82pWVUNTDXMpTdzslHzKJx9FfkbQM-gx3hVsd9sapBQHG10eZhKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-30T17:21:33.737Z","article","Rep. Elizabeth Burrows, a state representative who said she represents Windsor‑1, told the working group she supports forming a study committee on universal design to develop clear, implementable definitions and to ensure people with lived experience are part of decision-making.

Burrows said the study committee is needed because available programs and grants lack consistent definitions of “accessibility” and “universal design,” which has hindered uptake. “When I ... asked Sean Gilpin what the uptake was for that program, he said 0 because we had not defined what we meant by that,” Burrows said, referring to a state grant program discussed in the meeting materials.

Burrows also described accessibility shortfalls in the current housing stock and among people experiencing homelessness. “Our current housing stock for accessibility is 0.04% of our residential housing stock available is accessible,” she said, and she added that, based on the data she discussed, “our homeless population is more than 80% [that] has a physical disability.” She framed those statistics as part of a broader argument for a short, focused study committee to produce concrete program definitions and recommendations.

Burrows also raised concerns about relying on the Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL) as a source of people with lived experience. She told the panel she had found VCIL’s offices empty and was concerned about relying on that organization as a stakeholder. Another committee member responded with a VCIL social-media post dated April 2 saying the organization had put its building on the market and expected to relocate in Montpelier, and that it intended to continue programs and services. That member said, “We decided months ago to sell the building and are reposting the listing. We'll be renting in another location in Montpelier ... and we'll continue to offer the same programs and services.”

Burrows described the study committee’s purposes as twofold: to define terms so state grant programs (including a VHIP grant referenced in the discussion) can operate with clear eligibility and to educate and include tangential stakeholders—developers, architects and legislators—so they understand the costs and benefits of universal design. She said one immediate goal would be to codify practices already required by VHFA and by HUD-funded projects so those standards survive any changes at the federal level.

Several participants discussed membership and timelines for the study group. Burrows said she envisioned a brief series of meetings—“just 3 or 4 meetings and then ... have it go into effect”—and named several people she thought should be included. The committee agreed it was important to include representatives with lived experience and architects. Staff noted an email reaffirmation from Chad (Chad Simmons) on membership, and the group planned to continue the conversation after the recess.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","S.127 Committee of Conference – 2025-05-29 – 11:50AM","oneSentenceSummary","Rep. Elizabeth Burrows, a state representative for Windsor‑1, told the working group she supports forming a study committee on universal design to set clear definitions and include people with lived experience.","taxTitle","General & Housing, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",30954,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6221667,"Senate draft ties affordability to loan life, broadens primary-residency rule in housing infrastructure bill",1132,1135000,2014,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3611728-a1be57532d8a97129213fbe26a59da8e&start=1135&end=2","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3611728-a1be57532d8a97129213fbe26a59da8e/thumbnail_1135000.jpg","/articles/6221667/Vermont/Senate-draft-ties-affordability-to-loan-life-broadens-primary-residency-rule-in-housing-infrastructure-bill","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6221667-cb72f0e054f1251c752b8cfb407fd321/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501851&Signature=gUi4PPfCvb78RTRMoGsKz4QlCOpt9HxK04s8iYH-kkw8~dwdOfjStT-xhwhPslqxbzbmkcCYEr~zmRJeyyIaY~kOmZYwN4OoLoyeKxPCNTmh~gWMNhUy2zTB0rpNkO9FCUL0YzLzo1RWVtbgR~UkLxNzwmsYijFRwnkH8M0QwJtacGXC~QHeKSRpQ01OdSmXKWUhCdsh-cqyXCeJEimV1FSUebhpoEFOu7JOlrrAiw1REZOFEUCb9Rcf5aX0xIh12mpN-aQUqDi-YMmkCGHxRTfY0UTAT2iRDrJz30JH88tul6sW38ptAiEMQxC70b4JkLspU0ZJ5dWi0Uzv2d2PZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A legislative working group reviewed the Senate’s latest rewrite of the housing infrastructure bill, which replaces a perpetual affordability requirement with an affordability term that lasts “until all indebtedness for that housing infrastructure project has been retired,” Office of Legislative Council staff told committee members.

The change, and other edits in the Senate draft, could affect how developers, financiers and housing authorities structure projects and incentives. The committee’s counsel said the rewrite also distinguishes owner-occupied sales from rental housing and adjusts program incentives and reporting deadlines.

John Gray, Office of Legislative Council, walked members through the draft and highlighted the durational change on page 1 and again on page 3. “In the house proposal this morning ... that was in perpetuity. Here you see that is until all indebtedness for that housing infrastructure project has been retired,” Gray said.

Gray told the panel the bill’s housing-infrastructure agreement language (noted at “section 19 09,” page 7 in the working draft) moves the proposal away from a short-term-rental restriction toward a primary-residency requirement with different durational tests depending on whether a unit is initially sold for owner-occupancy or offered as rental housing. “If the housing unit is sold for owner occupancy, it just needs to be initially offered exclusively as a primary residence. If, however, it's sold as rental housing, [it] needs to be offered exclusively as primary residence until all indebtedness has been retired for that project,” Gray said.

The Senate draft also carves out affordable-track projects from a separate site-review test (identified in the draft as the “BUC4” test). Gray explained the carve-out was intended to encourage development that meets the bill’s affordable or moderate-income criteria: developers that meet those criteria would not have to undergo the BUC4 review that otherwise applies to standard projects.

Other substantive changes flagged by counsel include:
- Project-size and dedication thresholds: the draft proposes a two-pronged structure with an alternate path where a board (identified in the draft as the VECC Board) may find a project meaningfully addresses the subchapter’s purpose; the working draft proposes a lower floor-area threshold of 51%—a majority dedication to housing for that path.
- Timeline and procedural rules: the Senate draft changes a prior 60-plus-30-day framework to a flat 90-day period from the site visit for decisions in most cases.
- Financial limits and incentives: a prior $40,000,000 limit appears removed in the Senate draft; increment-retention percentages were adjusted in the draft from a 65%/80% split to a 75%/90% split (standard track vs. affordable track) to preserve a stronger incentive for affordable projects.
- Reporting and sunset timing: Gray noted a change to the evaluative report date and program sunset language in the draft. The Senate text proposes a final evaluative report “on or before 01/15/2035” and a program sunset/expiration reference appearing as “02/19/2035” in the materials Gray presented.

Gray repeatedly tied specific edits to page numbers in the circulated draft and cautioned that some edits were “conceptual shifts” compared with earlier House language. “Conceptually ... this is broader than the former senate proposal related to short term rentals. This is about primary residential,” he said.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about enforcement mechanisms (how the residency requirements would be monitored and certified) and whether immediate contiguous parcels should be included in the housing-development-site definition; the Senate draft asks the implementing board to consider that question at year-end and return recommendations.

The working group recessed to continue negotiations; staff said they will reconvene to review additional edits and any remaining unresolved differences between the House and Senate proposals.

","A legislative working group reviewed the Senate’s latest rewrite of the housing infrastructure bill, which replaces a perpetual affordability requirement with an affordability term that lasts “until all indebtedness for that housing infrastructure project has been retired,” Office of Legislative Council staff told committee members.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6221658,"Committee reviews language narrowing municipal appeals by defining 'aggrieved person' and excluding some 'interested persons'",246,130000,376000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3611728-a1be57532d8a97129213fbe26a59da8e&start=130&end=376","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3611728-a1be57532d8a97129213fbe26a59da8e/thumbnail_130000.jpg","/articles/6221658/Vermont/Committee-reviews-language-narrowing-municipal-appeals-by-defining-aggrieved-person-and-excluding-some-interested-persons","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6221658-a4e4f18d5a3143cc6cbeb78d762ae556/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501851&Signature=ZvOKKGZRQLjY3SXKNKlMLoGXzfwpuaQ2H-2Q9WXMIJvNTsxEotOyF6hbE6Qe-R2ccqrkifyzMzoaOsKJNQNkLzwjg-49yHVe3zOvxj6mY8v1XimHP~iSit2M1MmFDSP0WDawil7XYi9fLlUG-PNVY4~aKxGZY3Jzap7znT~iwzr18f8SLIAhDsWNgHtmas-1uTiD5kDZq3aBgisMPt-SG8qTbHSNYBm8S2d2K771lyotO5OQI8-Lic-R~30azPg315jikJuQlopnBjQkDst8DQUzsE0mnU5nH47O48Yay8ln0UVrbrK-fednBhrnUjGtJLNSux7rpolUWNAsyBc2JQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Legislative staff briefed the group on a draft amendment that would change who can appeal municipal decisions by clarifying the definitions of “interested person” and “aggrieved person.” A staff member explained the working language would exclude some categories of “interested persons” while adding the immediate neighborhood to the definition of an aggrieved person.

A staff presenter summarized the draft: “...people who are appealing municipal decisions ... have to be a person aggrieved and they have to own property in the immediate neighborhood,” a staff member said while walking through the circulated text. The staff member noted a late edit that added a new numbered item to the draft’s definition section to avoid duplicative language.

Office of Legislative Council and other Senate reviewers had examined the language, the staff briefing said, and members of the Senate committee raised constitutional concerns during subsequent review. One staff speaker said the Senate’s Natural Resources and Energy committee and Senate counsel had “heard testimony very strongly ... supporting the constitutional concerns” and that the Senate was leaning toward first receiving a report from an appointed board (identified in the session as LERB/LIRB in the draft) rather than immediately changing municipal appeal procedures.

Staff advised the group that the current position was not agreement across all participants; one staff member said, “We may reach agreement. Right. We're not. Okay.” Committee members asked clarifying questions about the constitutional issues and whether the change would leave some parties unable to challenge municipal decisions in court or administrative proceedings.

There was no formal vote or adoption recorded during the session; members indicated they would continue discussions and might defer changes until they had inputs from the appointed board and any further counsel opinions.

","Staff described draft language intended to limit appeals of municipal decisions to ‘aggrieved persons’ who own or occupy property in the immediate neighborhood and to exclude some categories of ‘interested persons’ from filing appeals; participants flagged possible constitutional concerns and differing Senate and committee positions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Rep. Elizabeth Burrows urges universal-design study to address severe housing accessibility gap

Senate draft ties affordability to loan life, broadens primary-residency rule in housing infrastructure bill

Committee reviews language narrowing municipal appeals by defining 'aggrieved person' and excluding some 'interested persons'