Civic Soul presents benchmarking findings to South Burlington committee; workforce, housing and climate emerge as priorities

Civic Soul presented preliminary findings from its economic-development benchmarking and engagement work to the South Burlington City Economic Development Committee at a public meeting, laying out data the consultant said will shape a multi-year strategy focused on workforce, housing, and community values.

Laura Hoffman, CEO of Civic Soul, told the committee the firm is recommending a broader approach to economic development that leads with workforce and quality-of-life issues rather than only company attraction. “If you lead with building a vibrant workforce versus company attraction, you can get to a more interesting and a more positive place,” Hoffman said.

The presentation summarized the consultant’s benchmarking of South Burlington against peers and regional measures and previewed next steps in stakeholder engagement. Key findings Hoffman highlighted included: South Burlington’s population grew about 8% from 2018 to 2023 and the city ranks near the top of the peer set with a population of roughly 20,488; household sizes are trending smaller than the U.S.…