Vermont is our home, but today housing is too expensive because there are not enough homes for people to rent or buy that meet their needs and budgets. But the shortage of homes in Vermont is something we can fix: changing policies that are holding us back will create more homes for all Vermonters, so that we can welcome families, nurses, teachers, and others to create a better, more affordable future.

If this is a future that you want for you and your family, read our open letter below and sign your name to join our coalition. Together we can make the change we need to ensure a vibrant and affordable Vermont for all.

Housing is the cornerstone of an affordable, vibrant, and inclusive Vermont. The housing crisis is about more than shelter—it’s about strengthening communities, growing our tax base, attracting new families and allowing the families we have to stay here, filling our schools with children, bolstering our workforce, and bringing renewed vitality to every corner of our state.

Vermont faces an unprecedented housing shortage that threatens not only our economy but the very fabric of our communities. The statistics are stark: our state has the second-highest homelessness rate in the country. The median home price has soared beyond the reach of working Vermonters. Half of all renters are cost-burdened, and one in four spend more than half of their income on housing. These numbers point to a simple but painful truth: too many Vermonters cannot afford a place to call home because our state and local policies have made it much too hard to build the homes we need.

This housing crisis ripples through every aspect of Vermont’s social and economic systems. With our population aging, the lack of housing exacerbates challenges in health care and education, making these systems increasingly unaffordable and unsustainable. Without decisive action, we risk closing rural hospitals and schools, further hollowing out already struggling communities. Instead, we must act now with bold and strategic solutions to rebuild and reinvigorate Vermont while preserving its unique character and cherished landscape.

A 2024 report by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) highlighted the scale of the challenge: Vermont needs 30,000 new homes by the end of 2029. To achieve this, we must double our housing production rate from the last decade and sustain it. This is a tall order, but it is possible—if we commit to decisive, ongoing action.

The undersigned coalition of Vermont organizations and individuals support impactful actions by state, regional and local officials to create 30,000 new homes for households of all income levels, including initiatives that:

• Address the escalating cost of construction through innovation, increased density, and new investment in infrastructure.
• Allow communities to build the housing they have approved and envisioned by reforming the appeals process, as well as making additional adjustments to Act 250 to address issues identified in the wake of the landmark 2024 legislation.
• Provide municipalities new tools to finance public infrastructure that expands housing opportunities.
• Ensure the new Act 250 exemption maps (Tier 1A and 1B) promote housing supply and affordability by dramatically expanding housing opportunities.
• Invest public resources to create permanently affordable housing for people with economic barriers preventing them from securing housing, or who are unhoused or disabled.