House General & Housing committee reviews S328, considers repurposing $10 million and DHCD study on private equity

The House Committee on General & Housing reviewed draft language for S328 on April 8, 2026, and discussed several proposed additions including repurposing a portion of a $10 million allocation for developmental‑disability services to support housing and adding a supported‑housing subsection that would identify funding sources and future legislative recommendations.

The chair told the committee that “Kirsten Murphy, executive director of the Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council, proposed language that would allow repurposing a portion of $10 million for developmental‑disabled services policy,” and said staff would forward the text for legal review. Cameron Wood, legislative counsel, confirmed he would incorporate approved wording into the next draft.

Members also debated a proposed subsection to be inserted in section 6D4 to let the council provide recommendations not only on future legislation but on funding sources. As one committee member put it, the language could include example revenue options for study; members suggested, only as an option to be evaluated, a per‑acre charge on current‑use property or on second homes as one revenue source.

Committee members discussed related items that staff will fold into S328 if appropriate, including resource‑center language (attributed to Emily Kranos) that Emily said she had approved pending final signoff from the commissioner’s office. The committee flagged farmworker housing and a VHCB study for additional testimony; David Dury was scheduled to appear the next day to provide information on those issues.

A recurring point of concern centered on timing and municipal requirements. One member asked how often towns must update their town plan; a colleague cited statute 4387 and said, “It is 8 years. In 4387, all plans, including all prior amendments, shall expire every 8 years unless they are readopted according to the procedures in section 438.” That member expressed worry that requiring towns to add housing targets without other triggers could prompt perfunctory updates rather than meaningful action, and asked staff to pursue options to gather useful data and feedback from regional partners when needed.

Separately, the committee discussed adding a non‑budgetary directive inspired by bill 607 to S328 that would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to report back to the committee with information on private‑equity activity in Vermont housing. Cameron Wood explained the prospective requirement: it would ask DHCD to identify whether the covered entities defined in 607 exist in Vermont, how many there are, whether they have purchased housing here, and what other states have done — providing the committee with material to consider in the next biennium. Emily said her conversation with the commissioner indicated the department was willing to supply such information and that she would circulate language to staff before the item is resubmitted to committee.

No formal motions or votes occurred during the session. Members closed by scheduling a reconvening with David Dury at 9:00 the next day, asking Cameron to circulate the next draft, and planning a walk‑through of that draft; the chair said the committee hopes to have a final discussion and a vote on related item S89 at a future meeting.