Press: Press releases

PUBLIC/PRIVATE COALITION LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO MAKE SURE 'EVERY VERMONTER HAS A PLACE TO CALL HOME'
Governor Dean calls Campaign an example of 'Vermonters at their best.'

MONTPELIER — The Vermont Housing Awareness Campaign, a new public education effort aimed at solving Vermont's housing shortage, was launched Feb. 6 at a standing-room-only event in the Vermont Statehouse.

Representatives from 22 organizations that make up the Campaign — including businesses, financial institutions, environmentalists, housing advocates and public officials — described plans for advertising and public outreach aimed at building support for more housing construction.

"The housing shortage affects everybody, because it drives up rents and home prices," said Sarah Carpenter, executive director of Vermont Housing Finance Agency. "Some people say the permitting process is too cumbersome. Others point the finger at Act 250. Some blame obstructionist neighbors — the NIMBYs — and others complain about out-of-staters. Our purpose is not to lay blame, but to energize Vermonters to find solutions. We need to build more housing opportunities for all Vermonters."

Before the event, Governor Howard Dean offered a strong statement of support for the Campaign.

"Vermonters are at their best when there's a challenge to be met, and our current housing shortage is a major challenge," Dean said. "The Housing Awareness Campaign is a good example of how we can bring people together to get something accomplished. I heartily endorse what the members of the Campaign are doing on behalf of all Vermonters."

Vermont is one of the most expensive states in the country for housing. Rents and home prices are, in large part, being driven upward by a lack of new housing construction. For example, the median purchase price of a home in Vermont rose from just under $111,000 in 1995 to more than $135,000 in 2000, a 22 percent increase. Rents stay high as well, while vacancy rates have stayed very low, even dropping below 1 percent in Burlington.

"It is essential that every Vermonter has a place to call home," said Commerce and Community Development Secretary Molly Lambert, "but having a place to call home is becoming more and more difficult for many Vermonters."

Vermont has not been building enough housing to meet its growing population. An August, 2000 study of the housing needs of Vermont's six northwestern counties, for example, showed a then-current shortage of 7,400 housing units. That shortage was projected to increase to 10,000 units by the 2010. A soon-to-be released study of the housing needs in the Upper Connecticut River Valley shows a similar situation.

Campaign representatives said low- and moderate-income Vermonters are hit hardest by the housing shortage, but finding housing can even be a problem for households earning nearly $50,000.

"This is not an isolated problem," said Gretchen Rittenhouse, Executive Director of the Twin Pines Housing Trust in White River Junction. "It's not Burlington's problem. It's not a problem just for poor people, although they get hurt the most; it's a statewide problem."

The Housing Awareness Campaign's activities will be directed at four primary goals:

Showing how the housing shortage has an impact on Vermont's economy.

Clearing up misconceptions about affordable housing, and the people who need it.

Getting Vermont communities to understand their responsibilities to develop housing through their planning and zoning processes and emphasizing the benefits of clustering and mixed use.

Creating more support for housing development.

The Campaign will explain the benefits of creating more housing. Citing a 1999 report, Campaign representatives explained that $1 million invested in housing development creates 63 jobs that pay about $1.2 million in wages. That investment also creates about $1.8 million in other economic activity.

A housing shortage, on the other hand, acts as a drag on the economy, especially affecting employers, who may have difficulties attracting or keeping workers because of high housing costs.

The Campaign will also emphasize the adoption of "smart growth" principles to help control sprawl.

Several speakers at today's event emphasized the solution to the housing shortage would not be found in a "magic bullet," but through cooperative effort from all sides.

Lee Krohn, Planning Director for the Town of Manchester, said his community rose to the challenge of building more affordable housing. One of the steps the Town took to solve the problem was to create an affordable housing bylaw to allow for more density.

"Did concerns about crime, school crowding, taxes, what the buildings would look like, come up? Yes they did," Krohn said. "But Manchester started looking at the housing problem, and we came up with a project that shows how well this can work when it's done right. I urge you to advocate for affordable housing projects in your community."

"It's extremely important to bring to public awareness the acute shortage of housing for working Vermonters," said Cynthia Gubb, Director of Community Development for the Chittenden Bank. "We need to join forces to find creative ways to alleviate the shortage."

(Photos: Sandy Macys)

© 2002-2008 Vermont Housing Awareness Campaign. All rights reserved.
Contact: info@housingawareness.org