Vermont's Housing Committees

Most Vermont towns do not have municipal staff dedicated to housing. Typically, the purpose of a housing committee is to assess and recommend ways to improve the affordability of the town's housing stock for its residents and workers. Although the steps below are focused on establishing a municipally-sponsored committee, several other organizational structures have been pursued with success in Vermont, such as resident advocacy groups and faith-based committees.

1. Suggest the committee to the town's board of elected representatives.

2. Select a committee structure. Options include: 

• Subcommittee of municipal Planning Commission
• Subcommittee of town board of elected representatives
• Modeling the structure of an existing committee

3. Identify any specific town objectives the committee should be tasked with.

• Has a Housing Needs Assessment been completed recently for the town or region? Consider tasking the committee with reviewing this assessment and making specific recommendations to address the needs identified.
• Has the town-elected board been faced with specific local issues pertaining to housing, such as the impact of a new employer in the area increasing demand for homes for its workers?  The new housing committee could be charged with making recommendations to address this new dynamic.

4. Draft a charter or resolution for the elected board and request including it on the agenda of an upcoming public meeting. (Examples: Essex, Winooski, South Burlington)

5. Recruit potential committee members and set terms. (Committee membership strategies)

6. Ask elected board to approve members.

• Some communities "interview" applicants at a meeting of the elected board. Others suggest a full initial roster of members and terms for a approval by the board.   

7. Initiate first committee meeting.

• Task one of the members to convene the first meeting or set a place and time for the first meeting and invite all members. 

8. Elect officers and clarify roles. Typical roles: 

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary - draft and post minutes, ensure meetings are warned
• Liaison(s) to other relevant committee(s) such as planning commission
• Spokesperson for public meetings related to housing

9. Review charter from elected board and conditions in the community to prioritize.

Here are a few examples of different housing committee structures. As community need, capacity, and interest changes, you can expand your committee and change its structure.

• Housing discussion meet-ups: Community members who are passionate about fair and affordable housing can meet to discuss possible solutions in an informal way. This option allows people with less housing knowledge or background to become more informed in a supportive setting. This structure is excellent for increasing public awareness if affordable housing is a relatively new topic of discussion in your community.
• Resident advocacy group: Another way to utilize passion and expertise around affordable housing is through a resident advocacy group. This structure functions outside of municipal government and advises local decision-makers about affordable and fair housing initiatives. One of the benefits of this structure is that it allows for community-based advocacy for systemic change.
• Town-supported committee: Housing committees that use this common structure function as either a subcommittee of a municipal planning commission or as a separate municipal housing committee. The municipality can establish an ad hoc committee with the mission of examining a specific subject (such as the need for affordable housing or special needs housing) or it can be a standing committee with the ongoing mission of reporting annually to the Planning Commission on the community’s housing needs.

• What is the goal of the committee?
• Will the committee be resident-driven or municipally driven?
• Will the committee be project-based or a standing committee?
  • Is there a specific issue or initiative that needs to be completed?
  • Or will the committee be handling long-term affordable housing solutions and multiple initiatives?
• What is your committee’s timeline?
  • For establishment?
  • To complete a specific project?
  • Are there any deadlines to consider?
• Who should be on the committee?

• Conduct a housing needs assessment
• Ensure that your municipal plan supports housing
• Pursue changes that will help meet needs identified in the housing needs assessment, including
  • Inclusionary housing incentives or requirements
  • Accessory dwelling unit zoning
  • AirBnB and other short-term rentals
  • Accessibility opportunities for rehabilitating older units
• Create a Housing Trust Fund
• Advise planning commission and elected officials about housing impacts of existing land use regulations and upcoming municipal decisions
• Improve community understanding about the relationships between housing affordability, equity and economic vibrancy.