Vermont HCR 77: House concurrent resolution congratulating Bennington Project Independence on its 40th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of its home at the Dr. Richard A. Sleeman Center

Bill Text

R-97 Page 1 of 2
2025

VT LEG #382524 v.1
No. R-97. House concurrent resolution recognizing April 2025 as Fair Housing
Month in Vermont.
(H.C.R.77)
Offered by Representatives Stevens of Waterbury, Bishop of Colchester, Bluemle of
Burlington, Bos-Lun of Westminster, Brown of Richmond, Burrows of West Windsor,
Campbell of St. Johnsbury, Cina of Burlington, Dodge of Essex, Garofano of Essex,
Harrison of Chittenden, Headrick of Burlington, Howard of Rutland City, James of
Manchester, Kleppner of Burlington, Kornheiser of Brattleboro, Krasnow of South
Burlington, LaMont of Morristown, Logan of Burlington, McCann of Montpelier, McGill
of Bridport, Olson of Starksboro, Pouech of Hinesburg, Priestley of Bradford, Satcowitz
of Randolph, Scheu of Middlebury, Stone of Burlington, Tomlinson of Winooski,
Waszazak of Barre City, Wood of Waterbury, and Yacovone of Morristown
Offered by Senators Clarkson, Bongartz, Brock, Gulick, Hardy, Mattos, Perchlik, Ram
Hinsdale, Watson, Weeks, and White
Whereas, for generations, millions of Americans have been denied the housing of their
choice because of their race, ethnicity, religion, or disability, and
Whereas, on April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of
1968, including Title VIII, known as the Fair Housing Act, and
Whereas, Vermont’s 1987 Fair Housing Act, as amended, prohibits discrimination in
the rental, sale, or financing of housing based on “race, sex, sexual orientation, gender
identity, age, marital status, religious creed, color, national origin, or disability of a
person, or because a person intends to occupy a dwelling with one or more minor
children, or because a person is a recipient of public assistance, or because a person is a
victim of abuse, sexual assault, or stalking,” as well as the denial of development
permitting based on the income of prospective residents, making this law more protective
than the federal statutes and among the most comprehensive in the nation, and
Whereas, the Vermont Human Rights Commission (the Commission) was established
in 1987 and tasked with enforcing Vermont’s Fair Housing Act, among other State
antidiscrimination provisions, and
Whereas, in 2024 and 2025, the Commission has experienced an increase in fair
housing inquiries and has processed more fair housing complaints than ever before, and
Whereas, in recent months, the federal government has drastically deprioritized fair
housing enforcement and education and has attempted to reduce or eliminate funding for
agencies and organizations working for fair housing, and
Whereas, inclusive, welcoming, and affordable communities promote diversity and a
climate conducive to economic development, and
Whereas, the current housing crisis impacts all Vermonters and disproportionately
impacts people in protected classes, and

R-97 Page 2 of 2
2025

VT LEG #382524 v.1
Whereas, the State of Vermont remains committed to ensuring that everyone who lives
in Vermont is entitled to the protections of Vermont’s Fair Housing Act, now therefore
be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly recognizes April 2025 as Fair Housing Month in Vermont,
and be it further
Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to
the Vermont Human Rights Commission, the Champlain Valley Office of Economic
Opportunity, and the Vermont Legal Aid Housing Discrimination Law Project.