Governor Scott Proposes Funding Increase for Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

PRESS RELEASE
Contact:  Gus Seelig 828-3251; @email; Jen Hollar 793-7346; @email

Governor Scott Proposes Funding Increase for Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

In his Fiscal Year 2022 budget address delivered today, Governor Scott proposed a $20 million increase in funding to the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB). The funding would support the well-documented need to create more housing across the state and to accelerate Vermont’s economic recovery while also addressing community needs highlighted by the pandemic.

Gus Seelig, Executive Director of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, said, “VHCB is poised to continue our partnership working with the Scott Administration and the Legislature to address housing and rural development across the state. There is much need and many opportunities to continue our response to the economic pressures brought on by COVID-19. These investments can make Vermont stronger and more resilient in the long-term.”

Housing and Health, a new report by the Center for Global Health Equity at Dartmouth College and Vermont Legal Aid, relied on interviews with more than 70 leaders from health systems, social service agencies, town and city governments, and communities across Vermont to conclude that “Addressing  housing as a priority of the immediate pandemic recovery will position Vermont to lay the foundation for other improvements in population health.”

The rising costs of housing driven by the lack of supply highlight the importance of taking decisive steps to build our rural economy by supporting innovative solutions coming from local, community-based groups. The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board has a strong track record over more than 30 years working with organizations across the state to address Vermont’s identified needs.