Contact:
Kati Gallagher, Sustainable Communities Program Director
802-223-2328 ext: 114 | kgallagher@vnrc.org
Vermont can both grow housing and protect our natural resources. The state faces an array of complex challenges—from escalating housing and healthcare costs, to climate change-related flooding events. Yet, there is reason for optimism. Thanks to recent legislative action and persistent community advocacy, Vermont is turning a corner in how we plan for a healthier, more sustainable future by breaking down entrenched silos and adopting a holistic, collaborative approach to housing development and community planning.
The key to success will be not succumbing to the “zero-sum” mentality that too often pits progress in one area against another. This outdated way of thinking suggests that solutions to one problem—such as affordability—must come at the expense of environmental stewardship. The reality is that the choices we make about where and how we grow our communities are interconnected and influence our local economy, our environment, and, ultimately, our quality of life and ability to thrive.
In 2024, Vermont took a critical step forward with the passage of Act 181, a landmark law designed to spur well-planned housing development and protect critical natural resources by aligning local and regional land use planning with state incentives and regulations – breaking down the siloed approach to land use that has hampered progress for too long.
We need to let this law work as intended to ensure the full housing development and conservation benefits come to fruition. Over the next year, there will be several working groups, reports, and planning processes to flesh out the details of Act 181, which will require all of us to remain diligent to make certain the right questions are being asked and answered, and all perspectives are being incorporated. This law was passed due to diverse stakeholders and legislative leaders working together to find common ground and compromise; we must continue this work together, with shared goals that prioritize sustainable growth, affordable housing, and a healthy environment.
When it comes to securing a future that is affordable, accessible, and healthy for all, location matters more than ever. Expanding development into the periphery of our communities unnecessarily increases household costs while further eroding our fragile public infrastructure, access to jobs and services, intact farms and forests, and accelerating the very climate risks we are trying to reduce.
Take, for example, the state’s aging and flood-prone infrastructure. Long driveways, steep gravel roads, and an over-reliance on private vehicles are becoming unsustainable in an age of frequent climate-related storms and rising costs. The transportation sector remains the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont, contributing significantly to both water pollution and climate change. A lack of transportation options means more traffic congestion, higher household costs, and increased road maintenance expenses. As these costs rise, Vermonters who already face financial hardship find themselves further burdened by the inefficiencies of sprawling, low-density development.
Another example of the many inefficiencies associated with sprawl and siloed planning is the growing cost of servicing homes in rural areas. A 2024 Charlotte News article revealed the $30,000 cost of connecting fiber-optic to a single home: “…the $44,000 in ARPA funds the town kicked in for the effort was quickly spent…a home on Greenbush they recently hooked up with a 4,200-foot driveway took four days for a four-person crew to run underground cables from the mainline to that home.” According to a 2024 report from the Center for Biological Diversity, “U.S. sprawl development increases per capita infrastructure costs by 50%, pulling public funds away from existing neighborhoods, harming communities and wildlife, and endangering our collective future.”
As we plan to accommodate new, affordable and flood-safe housing, we should follow the model set by our historic town centers, which cover our infrastructure costs and then some, often subsidizing other, less economically productive areas. By investing in – and ensuring local zoning allows for – compact community centers, we maximize municipal infrastructure and taxpayer dollars. These strategies also provide for more housing and mobility options, allowing families to keep more money in their pockets, older adults to age in place, and opening up access to employment, health care, and social connection.
Housing and transportation must go hand in hand if we are to build and maintain thriving communities that are both affordable and resilient. Transportation is the second-highest cost for Vermont families, particularly for those in rural areas. To build a truly sustainable future, Vermont must prioritize a transportation and housing system that serves all residents by investing in our towns’ ability to offer public transit, bike-friendly infrastructure, and walkable neighborhoods.
Looking to the 2025 legislative session, I am optimistic that Vermont’s leaders will seize this opportunity to build on the progress made in recent years, rather than taking us backwards to rehash the same issues over and over again. Act 181 set in motion a more integrated, holistic approach to housing development and community planning – now it’s up to us to do the work to implement this law as intended, and move Vermont toward more sustainable housing and vibrant communities.
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