Rental-to-condo conversion, UVM involvement, landlord accountability
By Paul Bean
A housing plan released January 9 by Joan Shannon, Democratic candidate for Burlington mayor, calls for crackdowns on bad landlords, working with the Univerties for long term housing solutions, and overcoming duplicate act 250 laws.
“I’ve spent the last 12 years of my career as a residential Realtor,” Shannon said. “While working with first time home buyers has not been the most lucrative part of the job, it has always been the most rewarding to me.”
Shannon, a resident of Burlington for 35 years, explains that housing has always been a problem. However post pandemic, the housing problem has only increased: “Between the increase in home values and the increase in interest rates, the monthly cost for an entry level home mortgage has more than doubled in 4 years.”
The March 5 election is the first with no incumbent mayor running since 2012. Longtime Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger is not seeking re-election and is considering a run for governor.
Some of Shannon’s housing strategies include:
- Allow conversions from rentals to condominium or cooperative home ownership.
- Establish long-standing and enforceable housing agreements with colleges and universities that include standards of how many students are housed on and off-campus
- Hold problematic landlords accountable through a fully-resourced code enforcement office properly empowered with housing standard policies that protect at-risk renters.
- Work with state leaders and mayors coalition to remove duplicative ACT 250 regulations in communities with robust zoning.
Read her full statement here.
Progressive candidate for mayor Emma Mulvaney Stanak’s plan includes:
- Collaborate with housing developers committed to the public good to expand affordable housing that prioritizes access to public transportation and job opportunities. Use the rezoning process to incorporate inclusionary zoning rules to leverage more affordable housing units.
- Explore rent stabilization policies and advocate for the just cause eviction charter change to pass the legislature so residents can have stable housing.
- Enforce the city’s existing short-term rental ordinance to leverage limited current housing stock for city residents.
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Categories: Burlington, politics
post //// scam demic ///smart the …. up/// they all wore the face diaper too long/// lack of oxygen to the brain/// just another form of control/// agenda 2030///
Emma’s three bullets just sound like why my family left Ukraine in 67’: Government housing, communism, and fascist overreach.
These sound proposals put Shannon formally in the extreme right wing of Burlington politics, relatively speaking. Promoting ownership and owner occupation of private dwellings is a good move making for responsible citizens with skin in the game. However, holding landlords of rentals more “responsible” is good only as long as there is policy to also hold renters responsible for their end of the bargain in that business arrangement. More free and subsidized housing in Burlington is simply a magnet to attract more vagrants from afar…something the current mayor seems to be in denial of.
huh, nothing about their failed septic system that has been polluting the lake since I was in UVM, early 1980’s why am I not surprised?
And of course all of this will be funded of the backs of the country mouse paying the most property tax……just as it has for decades
Ladies, the problem lays within Burlington city government and the state government with the marxist House/Senate leadership with all their BIG government over-regulations. Cut regulations, cut the red tap, stop vilifying Property owners and let Landlords do their jobs. Lastly, STOP all the government handouts. If ppl cannot afford the rent than they must find other housing options or a better or 2nd income.
Government control has created this problem and you have taught these ppl that government will take care of them NO, NO, NO! It is time for the free-market system to work, and that will only happen with government regulations being reduced..Ty