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House committee backs moving DHIP into base funding, supports HFA tax-credit sale and mobile-home repairs
Summary
The Vermont House Commerce & Economic Development committee met with legislative counsel to shape its Appropriations letter, endorsing moving the Downpayment and Homeownership Investment Program into base funding, supporting the Vermont Housing Finance Agency’s request to sell $350,000 in homeownership tax credits annually (2027–2031), and backing a one-time $800,000 mobile-home repair fund.
The Vermont House Committee on Commerce & Economic Development spent its allotted pre-floor time on Feb. 24 working with legislative counsel Rick Segal to finalize priorities for its Appropriations letter, placing housing programs at the top of the list.
Committee members agreed they support moving the Downpayment and Homeownership Investment Program (DHIP/BHIP) from one-time to base funding, with a member citing a requested amount of $4,000,000 for the program. "Are we supportive of putting DHIP into the... I think that's the governor would recommend the Yeah. I'm supportive of that," one member said during the meeting.
Members also signaled support for a Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) proposal to sell $350,000 per year in state homeownership tax credits over a five-year span (fiscal 2027–2031) to fund a down-payment assistance program. "The committee also supports the HFA request to sell $350,000 of 5 year state homeownership tax credits for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to support VHFA's down payment assistance program," a committee member instructed staff to include.
The committee marked a one-time $800,000 mobile-home repair (infill/replacement) fund—described in the materials as a reversion from 2024—as a high priority for Department of Housing and Community Development programs. Members discussed the program’s focus on repairing pads and infrastructure for manufactured housing and expressed broad support.
Why it matters: Committee members framed these items as responses to gaps in housing support identified during recent testimony. Moving DHIP into the base budget would create an ongoing funding stream for homeownership assistance; the HFA tax-credit mechanism would fund down-payment aid without general-fund appropriations; and mobile-home repairs target a specified housing stock often underserved by conventional programs.
Next steps: Staff and counsel will add language to the committee’s Appropriations letter reflecting these priorities and highlight the HFA tax-credit language for further drafting before sending the letter to Appropriations.
