Housing advocate urges $40 million one-time VHCB investment, backs DHIP base funding
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Summary
Chad Simmons of the Housing and Homelessness Alliance told the House General & Housing Committee on Feb. 12 that the group supports a one-time $40,000,000 investment for housing development alongside the statutory $37,600,000 property transfer tax amount, and also urged base funding for DHIP and consideration of progressive revenue to expand capacity.
Chad Simmons, representing the Housing and Homelessness Alliance, told the House General & Housing Committee on Thursday, Feb. 12 that the alliance supports a one-time $40,000,000 investment in housing development funding for fiscal year 2027 to expand permanently affordable housing and address homelessness.
"HHIE is advocating, continuing to advocate for a one-time $40,000,000 investment in the HDB funding for the FY27 budget," Simmons said, adding this would be in addition to the statutory $37,600,000 collected through the property transfer tax. Simmons said those investments would "provide some clarity for the pipeline to develop over the next couple of years."
Why it matters: Simmons framed the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board as a central partner that finances shelter systems and helps move people into permanently affordable housing. He said prior state investments in VHCB have enabled nonprofit partners to move people from homelessness into secure, long-term housing and argued new funding would help preserve and expand that pipeline.
Simmons also urged the committee to continue base funding for DHIP, which he described as an important tool for bringing housing units online by enabling property owners to make repairs or conversions so the units are suitable for occupancy. "Our nonprofit providers are helping to facilitate, get those dollars out the door and into the property owners' hands to be able to make the improvements in those properties and get people housed," he said.
Committee members asked for more detail. When a member questioned whether units typically need substantial rehabilitation when tenants move out, Simmons said he did not have program-level data in the hearing and suggested the committee consult nonprofit providers and program staff for specific figures. In a hypothetical about prioritizing a $1,000,000 allotment, Simmons declined to single out one program, saying the alliance's position remains that investments are needed across programs and noting they are exploring progressive revenue options to increase resources.
Simmons said the alliance is "actively exploring all of the bills" related to revenue and housing but had not yet taken formal positions on specific legislative proposals. The hearing record does not show a formal vote or committee action on the funding requests; the committee will incorporate testimony into recommendations to the Appropriations Committee via a letter expected late next week.
Next steps: The committee paused for a short break and scheduled Cameron Wood to testify at 10:30 on landlord-tenant issues; a Champlain Housing Trust practitioner is slated to testify the following day.
