Although adjournment has been postponed in Montpelier, the legislature has finalized Vermont’s most substantive action to build housing that we’ve seen in decades.
The Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP) will allow municipalities to invest in infrastructure–to the tune of $2 billion–that enables housing development for working Vermonters. The broad coalition of support for this program, which included Governor Phil Scott’s administration, Let’s Build Homes, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, the Lake Champlain and Vermont Chambers of Commerce, and GBIC, among many others, recognized that housing is a critical issue in Vermont. We hear all the time from employers that housing is a significant barrier to their ability to recruit the people they need to grow.
Available to every municipality in Vermont, this legislation will have a broad, meaningful impact across the state. For instance, here in Burlington, CHIP will enable the construction of over 1,000 new housing units next to Hula in the South End – A project that will help support Chittenden County and Vermont’s economy for years to come.
In other housing news, the budget passed by the legislature also includes $2.8M to complete a therapeutic community for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Burlington, an effort spearheaded by the Developmental Disabilities Housing Initiative, Champlain Housing Trust, and Howard Center with support from GBIC.
There’s still work to be done on housing, but today we’re taking a moment to celebrate these accomplishments. Thank you for all that you do for our region and state!
News From 60 Main
Great News from GlobalFoundries – Earlier this month, GlobalFoundries announced plans to invest $16B to expand its semiconductor manufacturing and packaging capabilities in New York and Vermont, with support from the U.S. government and leading technology companies. “The AI revolution is driving strong, durable demand for GF’s technologies that enable tomorrow’s datacenters,” said Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries, “including GF’s leading silicon photonics, as well as GaN for power applications. Meanwhile at the edge, GF’s proprietary FDX technology is uniquely positioned to support AI functionality with low power consumption. With all these technologies and more manufactured right here in the U.S., GF is proud to play its part in accelerating America’s semiconductor leadership.” Read the story here.
General Knight Named Citizen of the Year – The Vermont Chamber of Commerce named Major General Gregory Knight, Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard, as the 2025 Citizen of the Year. The distinction is presented annually to an individual who has “made significant contributions to the betterment of Vermont, distinguished through exceptional service to their community and region, and epitomizes the true spirit of service and self-sacrifice that defines Vermont citizenship.” Read more here.
Vermont Employer’s Roundup
Efficiency Vermont Offers TLED Lighting for Businesses – For a limited time, Efficiency VT will be offering increased incentives for tubular LED replacements on pre-approved projects. This is an easy way to transition to LED without having to replace the entire fixture – and EVT will pay 100% for the TLED lamps! Learn more.
