Committee advances H.50 to route state property inventories for housing reports to GHCD
February 05, 2026 | Corrections & Institutions, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont
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The House Corrections and Institutions Committee on Feb. 4 advanced H.50, a bill that updates state inventorying by asking agency heads to flag land and buildings that may be suitable for housing and to route that information to the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development.
John Gray of the Office of Legislative Counsel presented draft 3.2 and said section 1 requires the Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) to maintain an updated inventory of state‑owned buildings and land. Section 2 would leverage screening criteria developed under Executive Order 625 to identify parcels potentially suitable for housing and create a time‑limited inventory process covering calendar years 2026 through 2030. Those inventories would produce reports delivered on or before Jan. 15 of each legislative session through calendar year 2031.
Gray described two drafting approaches: codify the four screening bullets in statute or reference the executive‑order criteria. Several committee members favored referencing Executive Order 625 to avoid re‑litigation of technical screening language. When read into the record, the executive‑order screening guidance was described as: parcel at least half an acre; no conservation easement; served or potentially served by municipal water/sewer (or working on‑site septic); and reasonably accessible by existing road (within a quarter mile).
Gray said the reporting package would include the inventory the head of each agency submits to GHCD and an explanation from the commissioner why the listed parcels were determined suitable for housing development. Committee members and staff discussed timing and whether the commissioner’s rationale would add administrative burden; Gray argued the commissioner should already have those materials to make selection decisions.
The committee moved to "concur with the Senate proposal of amendment on H.50 with further amendment" and instructed the clerk to file paperwork so the bill would be noticed the next day and up for action on Friday.
Next steps: the committee expects to hear BGS and GHCD input before final floor action.
John Gray of the Office of Legislative Counsel presented draft 3.2 and said section 1 requires the Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) to maintain an updated inventory of state‑owned buildings and land. Section 2 would leverage screening criteria developed under Executive Order 625 to identify parcels potentially suitable for housing and create a time‑limited inventory process covering calendar years 2026 through 2030. Those inventories would produce reports delivered on or before Jan. 15 of each legislative session through calendar year 2031.
Gray described two drafting approaches: codify the four screening bullets in statute or reference the executive‑order criteria. Several committee members favored referencing Executive Order 625 to avoid re‑litigation of technical screening language. When read into the record, the executive‑order screening guidance was described as: parcel at least half an acre; no conservation easement; served or potentially served by municipal water/sewer (or working on‑site septic); and reasonably accessible by existing road (within a quarter mile).
Gray said the reporting package would include the inventory the head of each agency submits to GHCD and an explanation from the commissioner why the listed parcels were determined suitable for housing development. Committee members and staff discussed timing and whether the commissioner’s rationale would add administrative burden; Gray argued the commissioner should already have those materials to make selection decisions.
The committee moved to "concur with the Senate proposal of amendment on H.50 with further amendment" and instructed the clerk to file paperwork so the bill would be noticed the next day and up for action on Friday.
Next steps: the committee expects to hear BGS and GHCD input before final floor action.
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