Senate Judiciary hears testimony on H.772 as advocates urge narrower eviction rules and survivor safeguards

The Senate Judiciary committee took up H.772 on April 23, hearing testimony from housing advocates, community-action representatives and domestic-violence service providers who urged narrower language, clearer definitions and more tenant supports before the bill advances.

Chad Simmons, an executive representing a statewide housing membership organization, told the committee his group opposes broad changes in H.772 while supporting a few narrowly tailored provisions to protect residents’ safety. "We do support a couple of very narrow key provisions," Simmons said, but added the bill as drafted would create "additional challenges to our homelessness and housing system." He proposed striking language that refers to "illegal drug activity," limiting expedited action to "ongoing and repeated threats to the safety of other residents," and removing references to "neighbors" to avoid overbroad application.

Jess Heyman, associate director of CVO's statewide housing advocacy programs, warned the bill would "significantly reduce due process" for Vermont’s approximately 76,000 renters and would disproportionately harm people with disabilities, people with limited English proficiency and other…