Land Access & Opportunity Board asks appropriations committee to restore $1 million for developer seed grants and resilience hubs

The Land Access & Opportunity Board (LAOB) told the House Appropriations Committee it is seeking restoration of a $1,000,000 appropriation that reverted from its FY25 budget and is now requested in the Budget Adjustment Act to support two grant programs.

Jean Hamilton, co‑director of LAOB, told the committee, “This is a BAA request for $1,000,000, 750,000 of which we will be granting in predevelopment seed grants for beginning and emerging developers… and 250,000 of that will go into a grant program we are launching right now for community resilience hub grants.” The predevelopment grants are intended to help new, community‑led developers cover early costs such as design, septic and permitting so projects can secure financing; the resilience hub grants would fund local preparedness efforts and toolkits developed after recent floods.

LAOB directors described their statutory mission to reduce homeownership disparities and to center historically marginalized Vermonters in land and housing policy, and they said the board has been operating with a small staff and limited funds. They said the reverted $1 million was originally appropriated for FY25 and that LAOB has been in discussions with finance staff to reinstate the funding.

Committee members asked about how LAOB measures success and whether the board will coordinate with existing training and technical assistance providers; LAOB representatives said success metrics include improved access to homeownership for underserved groups and more inclusive civic engagement, and that the board intends to partner with existing entities for technical assistance and training.

LAOB requested the committee consider restoring the appropriation in the BAA so grants can be launched before the upcoming building season.