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Administration proposes state infrastructure grants to finish three housing projects in Bennington, Barre and Brattleboro
Summary
The FY26–27 capital proposal includes new appropriations routed through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to fill infrastructure gaps on three housing developments the administration says are 'ready' and already have substantial non‑state leverage.
Nick Kramer, chief operating officer at the Agency of Administration, told the House Committee on Corrections & Institutions that the capital package includes three new, targeted appropriations to support housing projects in Bennington, Barre and Brattleboro.
Kramer said the projects "rose to the top in terms of their readiness and the amount of non state funding that has already been brought into the capital funding stack for these projects." The three appropriations Kramer named in the presentation are: $1.1 million for the Bennington High School redevelopment housing infrastructure project, an infrastructure gap for the Prospects Heights housing development in Barre, and funding for the Winston Prouty Center in Brattleboro.
Kramer said the Bennington project is a public‑private effort approaching a roughly $40 million total development, including about 30 housing units, mixed commercial space, a child‑care center and an estimated 103 new child‑care slots that proponents argue will support jobs and local services. The administration described the state appropriation as targeted infrastructure support to close identified gaps and leverage federal and private financing already in place.
Kramer and committee members acknowledged that including non‑state buildings in the capital bill is not unprecedented but does represent a broader use of capital dollars to support housing projects that are not state‑owned. Kramer said the administration expects continued discussion of criteria and parameters with the committee and cautioned that adding these projects to the capital bill could open the door for similar requests in future sessions.
Committee members and staff asked for agency testimony explaining selection criteria and the specific infrastructure work the funds would pay for; Kramer and staff said ACCD (Agency of Commerce and Community Development) and local project representatives would be asked to testify in upcoming hearings.
