At the last city council meeting Burlington city officials proposed transformative zoning changes. The goal is to overhaul the long-standing residential zoning by allowing for denser housing development. Mayor Miro Weinberger sees it as a significant action to address the housing crisis, urging prompt action before the election of a new mayor and city councilors.   For more information on this story check out the article “With citywide rezoning plan, Burlington considers how to grow” on the VT Digger website. The Lipkin Audette Team has helped thousands of clients buy, se ..read more

Burlington and Bozeman, both known for outdoor activities and a culture of entrepreneurship, have evolved into thriving tech hubs with well-respected universities serving as talent pipelines. These cities, though smaller than tech giants like Austin and San Jose, have attracted both talent and venture capital, leading to the growth of startups. Despite their economic success, rising housing costs pose challenges to maintaining their unique appeal. The article highlights the nuanced nature of these economies and the importance of quality of life, with examples like Beta Technologies in Burlingt ..read more

The City of Burlington is considering a partnership with local developers Eric Farrell and Joe Larkin to revitalize the Gateway Block, a prime downtown 3.81-acre area that includes the dilapidated Memorial Auditorium and other landmarks. The developers' vision, as described in a letter of intent, includes building 200 or more housing units, a 100-room hotel with underground parking, and a vibrant pedestrian streetscape. Some city councilors raised concerns about the hotel proposal and emphasized the importance of public feedback in the planning process. The fate of Memorial Auditorium is uncer ..read more

Rising rental prices in Vermont have prompted the federal government to consider providing more assistance to housing voucher recipients throughout Vermont, particularly in the Burlington metro area, where two-bedroom apartment rents increased by 16.84% over the past year. The increase in "fair market" rent rates, calculated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, exceeded 10% for all Vermont counties in the last federal fiscal year. This recognition of higher rental costs should help more Vermont renters find suitable housing in the very competitive rental market. For more in ..read more

At a press conference last week, Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak announced a new $55 million initiative designed to provide low-interest loans to support investments in housing.  Directly addressing the longstanding housing crisis our state is faced with, Pieciak highlighted the importance of creating housing to support the healthy growth of Vermont businesses and communities. The majority of the funds, $50 Million in total, will be administered by the VHFA (Vermont Housing Finance Agency) to support affordable housing, economic / workforce housing, underserved communities, flood resilienc ..read more

As the state of Vermont continues to look for solutions to address its longstanding housing crisis, the recent elimination of single-family zoning (S.100 Housing Bill – learn more) is seen by many as a step in the right direction.  Similar legislation has recently been passed in states such as Maine, Oregon, and California with others likely soon to follow along. Although Vermont’s housing issues are unique and very different than other areas throughout the country, one place where both our local and national problems overlap is with regards to new construction building trends and more sp ..read more

With Burlington’s rental vacancy rate still far below the national average, the University of Vermont is taking matters into their own hands to increase options for its undergraduate students.  The solution? A $100 million apartment complex located next to the DoubleTree hotel off exit 14 of Interstate 89.  Officially named “Catamount Woods”, the complex is estimated to house 540 students and will be built on land already owned by the university.  Through a partnership with a private developer, the university is expected to chip in approximately 25% of the total constructio ..read more

Over a year and half after Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger first proposed the idea, the Burlington City Council has unanimously approved a major zoning change to the “South End Innovation District”.  Comprised of a total of 14 pieces of land located on the west side of Pine Street, most parcels remain vacant with the most notable exception being the cutting-edge tech-hub Hula Campus on Lakeside Avenue. The primary goal of this change is to allow for the development of hundreds of dwelling units in a section of the city that was once designated for light manufacturing and industrial use ..read more

This past Monday, June 6th, Governor Phil Scott officially signed the wide-ranging housing bill, S.100, better known as HOME.  An acronym for “Housing Opportunities Made for Everyone”, the law had major bipartisan support with the final vote in the House of Representatives coming in at 135 in support versus only 11 who opposed. Included in the bill are several modifications to Act 250. However, the majority of the more aggressive reform measures were left off the final bill in exchange for smaller, and temporary reforms instead.  In one of most impactful changes that the bill creates ..read more

Since 1990, the City of Burlington has implemented an inclusionary zoning (IZ) program designed to require developers to include a set percentage of affordable units in new market-rate housing developments of 5 or more homes.  In its original form, the law required developers to produce inclusionary units at the same bedroom ratio as the market-rate units located in the same project.  The intention of this piece of policy was to ensure that developers were producing inclusionary units with similar bedroom numbers as the market-rate options in a particular project.  It wasn’t unt ..read more