Vermont advocates push for statewide plan to build service‑supported housing for adults with developmental disabilities

Susan Aronoff, a policy analyst for the Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council, told the House Committee on Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs that Vermont needs a coordinated plan to build service‑supported housing for adults with developmental disabilities.

"That is the big question," Aronoff said of how many units are needed. She cited a 2023 report commissioned by the legislature that estimated a need of about 602 units and summarized the council's recommendation as roughly 600 additional units of service‑supported housing.

Why it matters: Aronoff told the committee that ad‑hoc planning grants and isolated projects will not meet demand and described legal and administrative obstacles that raise development costs or block people with high support needs from existing homeless‑response entry systems. She urged the legislature to authorize a cross‑agency planning effort, funded staff capacity at the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) and statutory fixes to…