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Vermont’s $20,000 accessibility rider draws little interest; officials point to rehab complexity and unclear standards
Summary
Officials told lawmakers Feb. 13 that although VHIP includes an unmatched $20,000 per‑unit accessibility rider to fund accessibility upgrades, uptake has been minimal—homeownership centers reported roughly 1–3% of applicants inquire—and staff cited technical constraints, mixed standards and marketing gaps.
Sean Gilpin, housing director, told a legislative committee Feb. 13 that the VHIP accessibility rider—an unmatched additional $20,000 per eligible unit intended to cover the cost of bringing a unit to a prescribed accessibility standard—has seen essentially no takers so far.
"We have yet to have anybody take us up on this extra $20,000," Gilpin said, adding that the rider was structured so funds would only reimburse elements that together bring the entire unit up to an accessibility standard rather than pay for piecemeal items.
Program staff…
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