Legislative Update...

Update From the Housing & Homelessness Alliance of Vermont (HHAV)

GA Winter Weather Protections Update Following the Governor’s veto of the BAA, which would have extended winter weather protections to all statutorily defined “vulnerable” unhoused Vermonters, Governor Scott signed Executive Order 03-25, which waived the 80-night cap for a limited number of GA eligible households. Specifically, the 80-night cap is waived for:

• families with children under 19; and
• the most medically vulnerable defined as an individual who:

It remains unclear how many households who were in the GA Program on March 31 this will protect. In addition, the Executive Order does not remove the 1,100-night room cap that came back into effect when the winter weather protections ended on March 31. We will circulate updated data and advocacy opportunities around this in the near term.

Emergency Housing H.91, which would shift the state’s homelessness response system to a regional model led by the CAPs, has passed the House and is currently being considered by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. As currently drafted, these changes would include what is currently under HOP/OEO and GA/ESD. We continue to work to ensure that the legislation would develop a system that works within the existing CoC system and we are continuing to work to strengthen the legislation as it moves to the Senate. HHAV is testifying on this legislation next week along with co-chairs of Vermont’s two CoCs. We will have additional advocacy opportunities around this legislation in the coming days.

FY 26 Budget The Senate Appropriations committee continues to work on the FY26 state budget. We understand that the committee plans to vote on the FY26 budget by the end of next week. Here are the related numbers as passed by the House:

Base Appropriations:

• $36.9M – VHCB to fully fund its PTT statutory share
• $2M - DHCD for the Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair Program
• $1.6M - Land Access Opportunity Board
• $29.7M - Housing Opportunity Grant Program (HOP)
• Two new positions in the Human Rights Commission

One Time Appropriations:

• $30.5M - GA Emergency Housing
• 2M - Office of Economic Opportunity for shelter bed expansion
• $5M - VHCB housing initiatives
• $4.1M - VHIP funding and one position
• $10M - VHFA Middle-Income Homeownership Development Program
• $7.5M - VHFA Rental Revolving Loan Fund
• $7.5M - Vermont Bond Bank Infrastructure Sustainability Fund
• $2.0M - DHCD for housing development assistance
• $235K - DAIL for the HomeShare Program
• $15K - DHCD for the Residential Universal Design Study Committee
• $4.4M - AHS for SASH and Blueprint for Health programs
• $300K - VDH for Recovery Residences

We are working to include additional funds into the FY26 budget, specifically:

• $44.6M –GA funding (total) to keep all statutorily defined “vulnerable” Vermonters sheltered (as recommended by House Human Services)
• $3.75M – OEO to fund 33 case management positions will end in June 2025 when federal ERAP money expires (as recommended by House Human Services)
• $25M – VHCB (in addition to the full PTT share) to continue the production of affordable housing (as recommended by House Housing and General).