As the Vermont Legislature opens today with affordable housing as a top agenda item, large employers are taking matters into their own hands and building worker housing.

The University of Vermont Health Network last month broke ground on a second housing development in South Burlington, this time with an apartment building that will include a child care facility for employees with families. 

UVMMC, the state’s largest non-government employer, is building the housing to attract employees and reduce reliance on expensive contract workers. 

The new building will have 120 apartment units ranging from studios to two bedrooms and the child care facility will have up to 75 spots focused on infants to Pre-K, which will be made available first to Network employees.

Earlier this year, the UVM Health Network announced a partnership with developer SnyderBraverman to build a 61-unit apartment building on Market Street in South Burlington. Construction on that building is underway, and it is on track to open for occupancy in March. 

SnyderBraverman is also the partner on this second building, and the UVM Health Network will again help finance the project without being a property manager. The Network will take a 10-year master lease on the 120-unit building. The apartments and child care facility are slated to open in early 2024.

“It is frustrating when people we’ve recruited decline our offer of employment because they are not able to secure either housing or child care for their families, facing waitlists that can be pages long,” said Rebecca Kapsalis, Associate Vice President of Talent Acquisition for the UVM Health Network. “I am confident that helping employees and their families secure housing and child care will in turn help us relocate and hire more employees – and keep more of our colleagues working with us as well.” – Sourced from UVMMC press release