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Finding Local Solutions to Local Housing Needs

“Local Solutions for Local Housing Needs Workshop: December 1, 2022”

42 people from 17 Southern Vermont towns (plus visitors from Burlington and Keene, NH) met  at the Old School Community Center in Wilmington on a blustery December day to explore local strategies to address housing needs in Southern Vermont. The event was part of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation’s Southern Vermont Economy Project. The Southern Vermont Economy Project provides webinars, small conferences, mini-summits, technical assistance and training to help advance local economic and community development projects that are critical to creating prosperity in rural Southern Vermont. 

In addition to sharing information, one of the workshop’s goals was to create regional relationships and help smaller towns work together to solve their housing needs. From several carpools to the conversations that took place during the lunch break and at the close of the day, many new relationships were formed – a valuable first step towards achieving this goal! 

The workshop included getting a ‘big picture’ view of housing needs in the state and region from Southern Vermont’s non-profit housing partners and regional commissions, as well as providing a chance to get behind the scenes with some local housing success stories (past, present and future). A theme that emerged was that strong community buy-in and robust partnerships are the critical factors necessary to take a plan for housing from conception to reality.

From an in-depth look at the role of the housing committee, to a review of programs that can support the creation of new housing units within existing housing stock, attendees also left with tools they can put to work immediately in their community.

Another theme was exploring the role towns play in setting the stage for housing: from enacting zoning reforms, to investing in long term plans for infrastructure development, and working to prepare parcels of land so that they are more attractive to housing development partners. 

Some takeaways from the day:

  • John Dunbar, Rockingham Planning Commission member, member of the Rockingham Incremental Development Working Group, and a landlord in Bellows Falls, shared what he has learned about zoning for housing:  “Instead of ‘we can’t allow…’ think ‘how can we create…’ Dunbar also spoke about the work that Rockingham did with the Incremental Development Alliance over the past two years. Find his presentation HERE.
  • Susan Westa, of the Windham Regional Commission, presented a slide deck showing the value of upgrading water and wastewater infrastructure as a way to support the ‘foundation’ of a village center, work that is essential to the viability  of our treasured Vermont villages. Find her presentation HERE.
  • Sue Fillion, Director of Planning for the town of Brattleboro, commented on a recent series of neighborhood walks and meetings the Brattleboro Planning Commission held to educate the community around the need for zoning changes to support housing development. Link to the BCTV recording of their meeting and presentation is HERE, and Sue’s slides from 12/1 can be found HERE.
  • Cat Bryars, the Interim Executive Director of Shires Housing, talked about how local partners, who are driven to solve local housing needs, are often the important champions that make her organization’s projects a success. Her slides are HERE.
  • Leslie Black-Plumeau of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) led a conversation about the role of the local housing committee, and showed attendees the Housing-Ready Toolbox. The Housing-Ready Toolbox was created through a partnership of The Fair Housing Project of CVOEO’s Thriving Communities initiative, the Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development, and Vermont Housing Finance Agency. Leslie’s slides are available HERE.

To access all the day’s slide decks and materials, please click HERE. If you’d like a certain deck emailed to you, please reach out to mstaloff@brattleborodevelopment.com. 

Links to some other State and Local Resources:

 

 

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