Vermont S 127: An act relating to clarifying community supervision furlough appeals and the powers of the Corrections Monitoring Commission

Bill Text

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No. 69. An act relating to housing and housing development.
(S.127)
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
* * * Vermont Rental Housing Improvement Program * * *
Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 699 is amended to read:
§ 699. VERMONT RENTAL HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
(a) Creation of Program.
* * *
(5)(A) The Department may cooperate with and subgrant funds to State
agencies and governmental subdivisions and public and private organizations
in order to carry out the purposes of this subsection section.
(B) Solely with regards to actions undertaken pursuant to this
subdivision (5), entities carrying out the provisions of this section, including
grantees, subgrantees, and contractors of the State, shall be exempt from the
provisions of 8 V.S.A. chapter 73 (licensed lenders, mortgage brokers,
mortgage loan originators, sales finance companies, and loan solicitation
companies).
* * *
(d) Program requirements applicable to grants and forgivable loans.

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(1)(A) A grant or loan shall not exceed:
(i) $70,000.00 per unit, for rehabilitation or creation of an eligible
rental housing unit meeting the applicable building accessibility requirements
under the Vermont Access Rules; or
(ii) $50,000.00 per unit, for rehabilitation or creation of any other
eligible rental housing unit. Up to an additional $20,000.00 per unit may be
made available for specific elements that collectively bring the unit to the
visitable standard outlined in the rules adopted by the Vermont Access Board.
* * *
(e) Program requirements applicable to grants and five-year forgivable
loans. For a grant or five-year forgivable loan awarded through the Program,
the following requirements apply for a minimum period of five years:
(1) A landlord shall coordinate with nonprofit housing partners and local
coordinated entry homelessness service organizations approved by the
Department to identify potential tenants.
(2)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (2)(B) of this subsection
subdivision (e)(2), a landlord shall lease the unit to a household that is:
(i) exiting homelessness, including any individual under 25 years
of age who secures housing through a master lease held by a youth service
provider on behalf of individuals under 25 years of age;
(ii) actively working with an immigrant or refugee resettlement
program; or

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(iii) composed of at least one individual with a disability who
receives or is eligible approved to receive Medicaid-funded home and
community based home- and community-based services or Social Security
Disability Insurance;
(iv) displaced due to a natural disaster; or
(v) with approval from the Department in writing, an organization
that will hold a master lease that explicitly states the unit will be used in
service of the populations described in this subsection (e).
* * *
(4)(A) A landlord may convert a grant to a forgivable loan upon
approval of the Department and the housing organization that approved the
grant.
(B) A landlord who converts a grant to a forgivable loan shall receive
a 10-percent prorated credit for loan forgiveness for each year in which the
landlord participates in the Program.
(f) Requirements applicable to 10-year forgivable loans. For a 10-year
forgivable loan awarded through the Program, the following requirements
apply for a minimum period of 10 years:
(1) A landlord shall coordinate with nonprofit housing partners and local
coordinated entry organizations to identify potential tenants The total cost of
rent for the unit, including utilities not covered by rent payments, shall not
exceed the applicable fair market rent established by the Department of

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Housing and Urban Development, except that a landlord may accept a housing
voucher that exceeds fair market rent, if available.
(2)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (2)(B) of this subsection (f), a
landlord shall lease the unit to a household that is:
(i) exiting homelessness, including any individual under 25 years
of age who secures housing through a master lease held by a youth service
provider on behalf of individuals under 25 years of age;
(ii) actively working with an immigrant or refugee resettlement
program; or
(iii) composed of at least one individual with a disability who is
eligible to receive Medicaid-funded home and community based services.
(B) If, upon petition of the landlord, the Department or the housing
organization that issued the grant determines that a household under
subdivision (2)(A) of this subsection (f) is not available to lease the unit, then
the landlord shall lease the unit:
(i) to a household with an income equal to or less than 80 percent
of area median income; or
(ii) if such a household is unavailable, to another household with
the approval of the Department or housing organization.
(3)(A) A landlord shall accept any housing vouc