Vermont Human Rights Commission tells Senate committee backlog has doubled; seeks more staff to speed fair‑housing cases

Faith Hartman, executive director and general counsel of the Vermont Human Rights Commission, told the Senate Government Operations Committee on Jan. 29 that the agency’s caseload has grown sharply and that it needs additional staff to process fair‑housing complaints in a timely way.

Hartman said the commission opened 57 new formal complaints in the most recent fiscal year, up from 41 the prior year, and that 35 of those new complaints were fair‑housing cases. “These cases average more than 1 year to close,” she said, adding that the commission’s contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires closing 50% of such cases within 100 days. “We have nowhere near the capacity to do that,” Hartman said.

Why it matters: The commission enforces state antidiscrimination law in housing, public accommodations and (for state employees) employment, and it also performs federally funded investigations under the Federal Fair Housing Act through a contract with HUD. Hartman told the committee that fair‑housing work now consumes “at least half” of the commission’s time and that the majority of housing complaints involve people with disabilities or tenants receiving public assistance.

Key figures and capacity limits - New formal complaints opened this year: 57 (35 fair‑housing) compared with 41 the prior year, Hartman said. - Active caseload at time of testimony: about 88 cases, including more than 60 in investigation status, roughly 20 with a reasonable‑grounds determination, and about 15 cases filed in court where the commission is plaintiff. - Case closures in the reported year: 33 closed by determination and 10 closed by settlement. - Intake backlog: Hartman reported roughly 100 people in intake status and said intake processing often takes 60–90 days to draft a signed, notarized complaint.

Hartman explained the commission’s staff structure and recent changes: it has seven total staff and five governor‑appointed commissioners, three staff attorney investigators, an executive staff assistant, and a recently added senior counsel/litigator position. She said adding an experienced litigator has increased the office’s ability to pursue litigation, but intake and investigation capacity remains limited.

On common case types and impacts Hartman said the commission is the state’s only investigative fair‑housing agency and that many housing complaints involve requested reasonable accommodations for disability, denials tied to receipt of public assistance (for example, housing choice vouchers), and harassment based on protected characteristics. She said landlords sometimes “post an apartment open and say, no Section 8 housing,” which the commission accepts as a complaint under state protections. Hartman added that many complainants lack resources to pursue claims in court if the commission cannot investigate and that the office must often refer people to Vermont Legal Aid, whose capacity is also strained.

Committee discussion and requests Senator Allison Clarkson (Woodstock) noted a joint landlord‑tenant task force and the need to coordinate with the courts to speed housing‑related resolutions; Clarkson suggested identifying regular court days to hear landlord‑tenant matters and said she would keep the committee informed. Hartman urged the committee to support additional positions: she said the commission requested two positions in the current budget adjustment (BAA) and is seeking six full‑time positions and two part‑time positions in the next fiscal year to meet demand.

Limitations and confidentiality Hartman emphasized statutory limits and confidentiality: active complaints are confidential by law, and the commission’s role differs from advocacy groups in that it conducts objective investigations and can pursue conciliation (the statutory term for settlement) or litigation. She also described operational strain: intake has been a shared responsibility with periods where calls and emails went unanswered for weeks, contributing to the backlog.

What comes next Hartman said a bill to expand the commission’s capacity is pending and that she hopes fiscal year 2026 funding will increase staffing. Committee members expressed support for staying engaged and said they would work with Hartman on information requests that do not breach confidentiality.

Hartman concluded by offering printed materials on the commission’s annual report and a plain‑language guide to the complaints process that staff prepared with HUD outreach funds.