Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Omnibus Housing Bill topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House General & Housing members review omnibus housing bill draft; fiscal total cited at about $46.3 million
Summary
Committee members discussed the current draft of an omnibus housing bill, reviewed a preliminary fiscal tally of about $46.26 million, and flagged priorities for targeting funds and structuring studies and programs.
Committee members of the House General & Housing Committee met Friday to review the committee’s draft omnibus housing bill, discuss a preliminary fiscal tally and identify priority populations and studies to include in the next draft.
The committee chair called the draft “nothing more than a sort of basket into which legislative council dumped” language, and said the draft is incomplete and intended as an initial working document. Members agreed the bill should be refined and that some provisions may belong in other committees but could still receive testimony in this committee.
Why it matters: members said they want a realistic package that aligns with the governor’s budget priorities and avoids a laundry list of items that cannot be funded. Committee staff reported a current draft cost, “not including some of the things we’ve asked,” of $46,262,600; members compared that to an approximately $50 million figure mentioned for the governor’s proposal.
Discussion and priorities
Members discussed short- and longer-term tools to address Vermont’s housing needs. Proposed inclusions mentioned during the meeting included workforce training (for example, a Vermont State Colleges HVAC certificate proposal), tax-increment financing assistance (to help towns hire consultants and lawyers with costs rolled into bonds), and a set of study and implementation items for accessible and modular construction.
Committee members stressed the need to balance ambition with fiscal realism. One member urged a side-by-side comparison of the committee’s requests and the administration budget so the committee can prioritize what is likely to be fundable. The chair said he will provide a draft comparison over the weekend.
Target populations and directives
Members signaled support for language directing housing agencies to prioritize certain populations if additional funds are provided. Specifically, members discussed asking Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) and similar programs to give priority or “special consideration” to projects that serve people exiting homelessness and people with developmental disabilities, while avoiding prescriptive mandates that would tie agency hands.
Process and next steps
Committee staff and members agreed to: (1) incorporate a study on universal design and related stakeholder participation into the draft (see separate article), (2) include authority and a modest placeholder appropriation for an off-site construction study/implementation line, and (3) solicit briefings from HomeShare Vermont and other community groups. Committee staff said they will circulate a revised draft and a fiscal comparison for discussion at the next convening.
Ending
No formal motions or votes were recorded in the transcript. Members asked staff to return a revised draft and fiscal comparison early next week so the committee can narrow priorities and align requests with available administration funding.
