Vermont S 294: An act relating to expanding access to expungement and sealing of criminal history records

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.294
2026 Page 1 of 7

VT LEG #380997 v.1
S.294 1
Introduced by Senator Vyhovsky 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Conservation and development; community development; housing; 5
home repair 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create the 7
Whole Home Repairs Program within the Department of Housing and 8
Community Development in order to provide funding to address habitability 9
concerns, to improve energy or water efficiency, or to make a dwelling 10
accessible for individuals with disabilities. 11
An act relating to the creation of the Whole Home Repairs Program 12
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 700a is added to read: 14
§ 700a. VERMONT WHOLE HOME REPAIRS PROGRAM 15
(a) Creation of Program. 16
(1) The Department of Housing and Community Development shall 17
design and implement the Vermont Whole Home Repairs Program, through 18
which the Department shall award funding to statewide or regional nonprofit 19
housing organizations, or both, to provide competitive grants and forgivable 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.294
2026 Page 2 of 7

VT LEG #380997 v.1
loans to homeowners and private landlords to address habitability concerns 1
within a residential dwelling unit, including energy or water efficiency or to 2
make the dwelling accessible for individuals with disabilities. 3
(2) The Department shall develop statewide standards for the Program, 4
including factors that partner organizations shall use to evaluate applications 5
and award grants and forgivable loans. 6
(3) A landlord shall not offer a unit created through the Program as a 7
short-term rental, as defined in 18 V.S.A. § 4301, for the period a grant or loan 8
agreement is in effect. 9
(4) The Department may utilize a reasonable percentage, up to a cap of 10
five percent, of appropriations made to the Department for the Program to 11
administer the Program. 12
(5) The Department may cooperate with and subgrant funds to State 13
agencies and governmental subdivisions and public and private organizations 14
in order to carry out the purposes of this subsection. 15
(b) Administration. 16
(1) The Department shall require a housing organization that receives 17
funding under the Program to adopt: 18
(A) a standard application form that describes the application process 19
and includes instructions and examples to help landlords apply; 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.294
2026 Page 3 of 7

VT LEG #380997 v.1
(B) an award process that ensures equitable selection of landlords, 1
subject to a housing organization’s exercise of discretion based on the factors 2
adopted by the Department pursuant to subsection (a) of this section; 3
(C) a grant and loan management system that ensures accountability 4
for funds awarded and provides effective outcome reporting for Program 5
evaluation; 6
(D) technical assistance and case management services for 7
homeowners, renters, and landlords, including the ability to coordinate across 8
existing home repair programs; and 9
(E) a referral program, where appropriate, to an organization 10
providing legal services to individuals with low income, a designated or 11
specialized service agency, or a medical or social service provider serving 12
individuals with low income. 13
(2) Housing organizations that receive funding under this Program shall 14
partner with employers and organizations that administer workforce 15
development programs that will connect trainees to jobs through committed 16
employer partnerships related to improving the habitability and performance of 17
homes that may include: 18
(A) cash stipends for trainees; and 19
(B) costs related to the design and implementation of pre-20
apprenticeship, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training programs. 21

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.294
2026 Page 4 of 7

VT LEG #380997 v.1
(c) Program requirements applicable to grants and loans. 1
(1)(A) A grant or loan shall not exceed $50,000.00 per unit for 2
addressing habitability concerns, to improve energy or water efficiency, or to 3
make the dwelling accessible for individuals with disabilities. 4
(B) As used in this section, “habitability concerns” means home 5
repairs that are required to ensure a residential dwelling unit is: 6
(i) fit for human habitation; 7
(ii) free from defective conditions or health and safety hazards, 8
including asbestos, mold, pests, or lead; or 9
(iii) free from conditions preventing the installation of measurers 10
to improve energy or water efficiency and lower utility costs. 11
(2) If the unit is occupied, the grant or forgivable loan agreement shall 12
include terms: 13
(A) that prohibit permanent, involuntary displacement of the current 14
residents; 15
(B) that provide for the temporary relocation of the current residents 16
if necessary to perform the rehabilitation; and 17
(C) that ensure that the landlord complies with the affordability 18
requirements of the Program following the reh