The short survey is intended for municipal officials and includes questions about challenges to meeting local housing needs and whether or not a town has a housing needs assessment, housing trust fund, or housing committee.
MUNICIPAL HOUSING SURVEY: https://goo.gl/forms/8FJT4aT831mKAPEN2
Vermont has a housing shortage.
All over the state, families are paying more than they can afford in rent, people can’t find homes to purchase within their price range, employers have a difficult time hiring because prospective employees can’t find housing, and there aren’t enough quality housing options for a variety of incomes.
Local planning and zoning policies and regulations play an important role in ensuring an adequate supply of safe, inclusive, affordable homes. Many communities are actively involved in identifying local housing needs and finding local solutions through Housing Committees.
Whether it’s a municipally-supported committee, subcommittee of the planning commission, resident advocacy group, housing discussion meet-up, or any other group that seeks to support or change the quality, quantity, affordability, and/or inclusiveness of housing in a community, a local Housing Committee can be an effective tool for addressing affordable housing needs and promoting equal housing opportunity.
The CVOEO Fair Housing Project, through its Thriving Communities initiative, is creating an online Housing Committee Toolkit, which will include success stories, best practices, and resources for existing committees and communities who want to learn more. The toolkit is intended to stimulate community conversations, local leadership, and policy change, as needed, to increase inclusive, fair, and affordable housing. We intend to profile existing housing committees and to work with the Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) to incorporate the Housing Committee Toolkit into its broader Housing Readiness Toolkit (in development).
As part of this effort, we are contacting community leaders all over the state to find out more about local housing challenges, what’s happening on the ground, and what resources/support are needed to take the next steps. The short survey is intended for municipal officials. We also invite other community members to share their thoughts about local barriers to housing affordability.
MUNICIPAL HOUSING SURVEY: https://goo.gl/forms/8FJT4aT831mKAPEN2
DEADLINE: Jan. 18, 2019.
If you have any questions, contact Jess Hyman, CVOEO Fair Housing Project Education and Outreach Coordinator, at 802-660-3456 x 110 or jhyman@cvoeo.org
For more information about the Thriving Communities initiative and the Housing Committee Toolkit, visit www.thrivingcommunitiesvt.org/toolkit
Thriving Communities is a statewide campaign of the CVOEO Fair Housing Project in partnership with housing, planning, and development organizations to increase awareness about the economic and social benefits of inclusive, fair, and affordable housing. Steering Committee: CVOEO, Vermont Housing Finance Agency, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development, Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition, Housing Vermont, Champlain Housing Trust, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, Vermont Human Rights Commission, and AARP.