Full_Whereas_2694 t1_j6z9cid wrote on February 2, 2023 at 10:58 PM

Reply to comment by Commercial_Case_7475 in Musings on solution to housing crisis while driving around VT. by woburnite

I do think the quickest solution to our housing crunch is to crack down hard on second homes. Given the cost of construction and the ability for locals to block development-it’s going to take a long ass time to build our way out of this situation-it’s kinda crazy that Vermont’s population has barely changed in the last century but we have a massive housing shortage. I say tax the shit out of second homes and create a fund for retrofitting and new affordable housing in town centers. If 2nd home owners decide they don’t want to pay the taxes they can sell to someone who wants to live there full time. Either way we get more housing for locals. Also really rein in investor ownership.

Necessary_Cat_4801 t1_j6zyrai wrote on February 3, 2023 at 2:04 AM

20k people moved here since 2020, that didn't help. There's no building out of this. I think as quality of life declines for all but the 10%, population will stagnate and economic growth will stop because there's no workforce. At the same time lots of old people will be dying. After a period of pain, VT could emerge from this a decent place again in a couple of decades. State estimates are around 30,000 units in the next 5-10 years. Thats almost another Burlington. It ain't happening. services will drop as the workforce hollows out. Remember, every household working from home is housing not going to someone cutting your hair, selling you groceries, delivering your mail, etc. It's already bad. Can't imagine how it won't get a whole lot worse before it gets better.

Full_Whereas_2694 t1_j702q2v wrote on February 3, 2023 at 2:34 AM

Well if a significant chunk of the housing that opens up due to the oldest Vermonters dying is snapped up by investors, second home owners or converted to short term rentals, it’s not going to help the cost of housing for the average person is it? If we are going to have any chance of getting the cost of housing under control we need policy that prioritizes primary occupants and renters not second home owners and air bnb. Also most people who will Be dead in 10 years aren’t in the labor force I’d guess.

Necessary_Cat_4801 t1_j7055ue wrote on February 3, 2023 at 2:53 AM

On for sure. I would tax the shit out of homes and Air BnB's especially to a point they're not worth it. Exceptions for things like deer camps. But none of that is going to fix it. We can't build enough. Even if we build, whats to stop them just being snapped up by work from home types moving here and out bidding locals? We had a demographic problem before covid. Seems unfixable