Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Off Site Construction topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
State study finds off‑site construction could help lower housing costs; committee hears next‑step options
Summary
A state study commissioned by DHCD, VHFA and VEDA recommended expanded use of manufactured, modular and panelized housing to reduce costs and speed deliveries; agency leaders described pilots and proposed a multi‑agency next step including a $250,000 coordination request.
A report commissioned by Vermont housing and economic agencies recommending wider use of off‑site construction to lower housing costs and expand workforce capacity was presented to the Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee. The study, produced for the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) and the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA), examined manufactured homes, volumetric modular units and panelized construction and recommended next steps including pooled purchasing, plant investment and statewide building‑code work.
Jeff Lubell, a housing policy consultant and co‑author of the report, told the committee that construction costs for tax‑credit multifamily projects have climbed (the report cited roughly $520 per square foot for recent 9% LIHTC projects) and that off‑site manufacturing can shorten timelines, reduce waste, broaden labor pools and improve energy and quality control when properly scaled. Lubell described four paths for state action: bulk‑purchase guarantees to lower prices for starter homes; direct investment to restart or expand local manufacturing capacity (for example, a formerly active Skyline plant in Fairhaven that has been identified as a potential site for reactivation); integrating off‑site methods into multifamily affordable housing; and state‑level code and design preapproval to reduce local permitting friction.
Deputy Commissioner Nate Formulary (DHCD) described a rapid manufactured‑home infill pilot that bulk‑purchased 30 manufactured units; VHFA and other partners are placing those homes in parks and communities and reported the first two closings this week. Formulary said the program began after flood recovery funding and that many of the 30 homes are under contract or placed; he also said the partners have identified roughly 100 buildable lots across parks and communities.
Agency participants recommended further coordinated action and proposed funding for a dedicated project manager and technical assistance to accelerate private and public sector capacity. Maura Collins (VHFA) and others said an initial estimate of $250,000 to support multi‑agency coordination, consultant work and pilot expansion would allow agencies to hire staff, pursue feasibility work (including a planned $60,000 feasibility study for the Fairhaven plant) and coordinate regional partners. Committee members asked about statewide building codes and the International Code Council modular standards recently adopted by other states; witnesses suggested Vermont could adopt the new ICC off‑site construction standards and preapprove designs to streamline installation and inspection.
No formal committee action or appropriation was taken at the hearing; members discussed possible inclusion of language in the upcoming housing bill and the creation of a time‑limited, funded multi‑agency effort to pilot and scale off‑site construction in Vermont.
