[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6317535,"mediaKeyId","2373778-47eed8f6647578058fb7766bad908c14","parentId",2373778,"title","Committee considers 3-year property-value freeze to encourage ADU construction and BHIP participation","audioSeconds",741,"startMs",4146000,"endMs",4887000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2373778-47eed8f6647578058fb7766bad908c14&start=4146&end=4887","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2373778-47eed8f6647578058fb7766bad908c14/thumbnail_4146000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6317535/Vermont/Committee-considers-3-year-property-value-freeze-to-encourage-ADU-construction-and-BHIP-participation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6317535-00ae33eaf333455bf5504d97ad190e3b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770514127&Signature=ageQKH0FpmHez7XRTUTGJBIVm8yl9dpjORWLvC1wOXdK6G0bcVBkAlfypSeT9bzd4l0tixaAZcjqaIILeTh9mtLthEmLHTI9SaHA8JCMG804B7pgTV9iTusSPvAEGjFdsTThsRhjJ5HJPB5ssHO3V-ys~Q~fDhvaRBh3VbEK0LRtlWn0oR6Ogi2Y6XKAuxuJdDeq5IlFcC6VAa1MKTqSI8MJ~x8xL3RORQgCsYTR3595qoPT-PZD5zOHekKDlCeyOOwf8SpHP~rY8eoja3lbzEUI4X3pS3WWieNpKVe-Rsoms~q-uFphRKjkAJdmcAXBVc6w-NAGyG2XwRY3LM-Mgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-22T04:55:10.48Z","article","Senate committee members reviewed draft language Feb. 21 that would temporarily stabilize property-taxable value increases tied to certain new accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and to qualifying BHIP (home rehab) grant-funded projects.

The proposed provision would \"fix and maintain the taxable value at the property's grand list value in the year immediately preceding improvements\" for a three-year period after completion in specified cases, committee counsel said. The policy is designed as a limited-value freeze — not a permanent exemption — to give property owners time to earn rental income from an ADU without immediately facing a higher property-tax bill.

\"The separate purpose here is for certain new construction improvements is to incentivize those activities,\" counsel said while describing the draft language. The exemption would apply to municipal and education property taxes and remain in effect for three years; if the property value later falls (for example, due to damage), the taxable value may be reduced accordingly.

Panel members said the incentive is intended to nudge more homeowners to build ADUs — which account for roughly 20% of VHIP/BHIP units to date — and to encourage some owners to choose the grant option that prioritizes housing for people exiting homelessness. Committee members asked staff to obtain a JFO fiscal estimate and to consider timing language (the draft currently requires that the improvement be completed within the prior 12 months when the exemption is claimed; some suggested an 18-month completion window might be preferable).

\"That was the intent — to just stabilize it for three years and let them earn some income from it so that they can then be able to afford that bump,\" a sponsor said. Department staff said they did not see immediate concerns but would consult with colleagues and provide follow-up detail.

Ending

Committee members asked legislative counsel and the Housing Division to refine the draft, get a JFO fiscal estimate and continue the discussion next week. The measure was presented as a targeted, temporary incentive rather than a general tax cut.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Economic Development - 2025-02-21-8:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Legislative counsel and the committee discussed draft language to freeze taxable value increases for three years after certain ADU or BHIP grant-funded improvements, aiming to remove a disincentive to adding accessory dwelling units and to shift some BHIP projects toward ADUs.","taxTitle","Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs, SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",37662,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6317540,"Housing division briefs committee on Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair program; asks for base funding",771,2794000,3565000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2373778-47eed8f6647578058fb7766bad908c14&start=2794&end=3565","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2373778-47eed8f6647578058fb7766bad908c14/thumbnail_2794000.jpg","/articles/6317540/Vermont/Housing-division-briefs-committee-on-Manufactured-Home-Improvement-and-Repair-program-asks-for-base-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6317540-a0cf5b185381ce75f1fad9328d54bf69/orig.mp4?Expires=1770514127&Signature=c7wJGkL7niGjDJl5ZiT2QbhsN319zs~CErXj5Vv~wVL~x9Xb50yW0WFDtX3E93QpCQj~Nr5LMNh2ynMh6RExqACRkJh7H9hnhxQh4jPtpDd6QOf~hI5WDpuFInoIGTXsVjKRUdGveb8mi~nMm5JpVn7VKnDszSfPtHDUjT0g6xL74lx4EyDcUA6ehJ8jvsaWpuo0Oc9E6S2O2SdDlW3CGfMVYvDObaDL8jDH0MmGBPaOP9o7m048NyUgVJiEXrZ7j~DG-QajdIlupsF9CTqGY912yNXCAsJHAhnaKINkMRkQB8tRauCkMGE7n8qmXGhT6Qg8bZGuOENtzVZjs3FPSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee on Feb. 21 heard an update on Vermont’s Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair program (often shortened to MER or MUR), which provides three types of awards to preserve and improve manufactured housing: home repair awards, park infill awards and foundation awards.

Scott Charland, housing program coordinator, told the committee the program was created with $4 million in ARPA funds in 2022 and has since received additional allocations. \"The initial $4,000,000 went down pretty quickly,\" Charland said. Subsequent appropriations and acts have expanded funding and the program will reopen for applications next month, he said.

Program design and results

Charland described the program’s three award streams: home repairs (up to $18,000 per owner-occupied home for repairs and accessibility work), park infill awards (up to $20,000 for lot reclamation and site work) and foundation awards (up to $15,000 to prepare a site and tie down a home). The program partners include the Housing Division, the Vermont State Housing Authority and the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO).

\"Homeowners can receive up to $18,000 for repairs, or accessibility projects that ensure that occupants remain healthily housed,\" Charland said. He added that the program provides technical assistance for applicants and maintains a list of contractors who have previously done MER-related repairs to address contractor-availability challenges.

Charland gave the committee cumulative program results: more than 330 home repairs completed, roughly 32–34 infill lots completed, almost 60 foundations, about $7,000,000 obligated, more than 900 applications and 54 site visits. Emergency repair reserves have been set aside each year to respond to heating or structural failures while the formal application windows are closed.

Funding ask and codification

Charland and Director Sean Gilpin said the department is requesting steady base funding of $2,000,000 in the governor’s budget and proposed codifying the program in statute so it can be sustained year to year. \"Turning it into a program that we can rely on would be phenomenal both for the recipients and for our staffing,\" Gilpin said.

Committee members pressed staff on contractor availability and eligibility rules. Several senators noted the program’s focus on registered mobile-home parks and asked whether communities like Williston Woods — owner-occupied lots not listed in the registry — could access MER funds. Housing staff said they will review eligibility and consider interim options.

Ending

The committee asked department staff to provide the committee with more detail on the FY funding request and to consider short-term eligibility options for communities that function like parks but are not listed on the registry. The program office said it will reopen a funding round next month and encouraged residents who need immediate emergency assistance to contact CVOEO for help.","Housing division staff detailed a program that has repaired more than 330 homes and obligated about $7 million since 2022, and asked for $2 million in base funding and statutory codification to keep the program operating.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6317544,"Senate committee weighs remedy after Williston Woods HOA excluded from mobile-home registry",2688,192000,2880000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2373778-47eed8f6647578058fb7766bad908c14&start=192&end=2880","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2373778-47eed8f6647578058fb7766bad908c14/thumbnail_192000.jpg","/articles/6317544/Vermont/Senate-committee-weighs-remedy-after-Williston-Woods-HOA-excluded-from-mobile-home-registry","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6317544-45f409ff9f240b09284fe20d963ad3ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1770514127&Signature=O02rpcVv8hFdatTft7c3mWJ1-S9OaES46aWV1K4Hc9D3bnuKgEE-srPP5jkzwquI6G7wbpEcIzgFrnMJ8XuVgu4os178EaEDEoSlPVQtfRTZP580XDYtGCJKqW~HAm3~bebkRT8vfqmmu~~y55-aCEz8ZAyKBMXa72KEolSXYheNrbZWoTkwPMtx1owjjNRjo6Yixr0i6FjklaAzaBenGz~FszmDjrGVXpPeC96nIVsR6jBVEmjEXeYxkpzHog5CM2vaKui4QjAOdfaqE-pBXFf8Fn7-i-pG~r5DVZxMe-tkxh5SLHRA9knBYon46en~XwOCpAwu2hppX0YGcXdIuw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State senators and housing officials on Feb. 21 heard testimony from residents of Williston Woods, a 34-unit manufactured-housing community, who said the association’s ownership structure has left it off Vermont’s Mobile Home Park registry and ineligible for several state programs and grants.

The exclusion has immediate consequences, residents told the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee: a $32,000 pump-replacement project and engineering planning for a stormwater plan that has already cost roughly $51,000, expenses the association says it cannot absorb without state aid.

Committee members said the testimony raised a definitional and policy gap that could be resolved administratively or, if needed, by legislation.

\"We own the lot our house sits on, which means we're not able to get listed on the mobile home park registry,\" said Tim Cook, treasurer of Williston Woods Homeowners Association. \"But we're a mobile home park. ... We consist of 34 units recognized by HUD as affordable senior housing.\"

Why it matters

The registry is used by state programs and charitable organizations to target funding and technical assistance for manufactured-home residents and parks. Williston Woods residents said that because the association’s parcels are individually owned rather than held by a single park owner or land-lease entity, programs that use the registry as an eligibility screen have denied their applications.

\"We had two pumps that were dying ... We were turned down because we weren't on the registry,\" said Gary Novak, president of Williston Woods Homeowners Association. Novak said the community purchased one replacement pump for about $18,000 and that other stormwater and engineering costs could \"completely bust our bank.\" He added that household monthly fees in the community run about $245 and that many residents are fixed-income seniors.

Housing division response

Sean Gilpin, director of the Housing Division, said the registry is currently limited to communities that meet Vermont’s statutory definition of a mobile home park and that the state distinguishes leased-land parks from communities where residents own individual lots. \"The distinction has often been made because of the ownership structure,\" he said, adding that Title 10, chapter 153 contains the state mobile-home-park law.

Gilpin and Scott Charland, housing program coordinator, described the Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair (MUR) program — which provides up to $18,000 per home for repairs, up to $20,000 for park infill and up to $15,000 for foundations — and said the program was originally targeted at registered parks because of demonstrated need and program design.

Possible fixes and immediate steps

Committee members said they were sympathetic and proposed a two-track response: short-term, case-by-case assistance while the department reviews the registry definition and how support programs identify eligible communities. Chair Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale and other members suggested drafting a letter to the Agency of Natural Resources and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to request interim measures and urged the housing division to review Williston Woods’ bylaws.

\"How we can still make you eligible for support is of interest to everyone on the committee,\" Ram Hinsdale said.

The committee asked Williston Woods to send bylaws to the housing division and invited department staff to visit the park. Officials agreed to review eligibility options for existing programs and to consider whether a definition change or administrative remedy is appropriate.

Next steps

Housing staff said they will look at the association’s bylaws and program rules, explore short-term options (including whether the Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair program or other pots can be made available), and report back to the committee. Senators also discussed drafting a letter to ANR and ACCD to request immediate, case-specific assistance while the policy work proceeds.

Ending

Williston Woods residents offered to host a site visit. Gilpin and Charland said they would accept the association’s bylaws and examine whether program rules or the mobile-home-park definition can be adjusted administratively; the committee signaled support for follow-up and possible legislative changes if necessary.","Residents of a 34-unit homeowners association say owning their individual lots has left them ineligible for state programs designed for mobile home parks, exposing them to large stormwater and sewer costs. Housing officials said they will review statutory definitions and consider interim help.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee considers 3-year property-value freeze to encourage ADU construction and BHIP participation

Housing division briefs committee on Manufactured Home Improvement and Repair program; asks for base funding

Senate committee weighs remedy after Williston Woods HOA excluded from mobile-home registry