PUTNEY-The town needs 80 new rental and owner-occupied homes over the next five years to meet the demand for new housing and to replace its aging housing stock, according to the recently released Putney Housing Needs Assessment and Action Plan.
"The lack of new and available housing means that young families can't move into town, which leads to an older population shouldering the tax burden," stated Robert O'Brien, senior housing specialist for Camoin Associates, the Virginia-based consulting firm that produced the report, during a recent meeting with the Selectboard.
The report highlights that Putney is experiencing "demographic stagnation," defined by flat population growth, an aging demographic, smaller households, and a decline in young residents - all of which adversely affect the town's economic and social vitality.
These trends are partly attributed to a significant drop in housing production since the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009. After contracting by half, production levels have never fully rebounded.
With strong demand for housing and a decline in new construction, prices for existing homes have soared. The median home price in Putney averaged $367,000 in 2022 and 2023 - a 73% increase since 2013 - putting homeownership out of reach for many residents. A typical household with a median income of $72,300 can afford a home priced around $166,000.
Affordability is a critical concern for Putney residents. More than half of the respondents in a community survey conducted as part of the housing needs assessment identified housing costs and availability as major concerns. Nearly half noted taxes as a "top housing issue."
More than one-quarter of Putney households face housing cost burdens, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Approximately one-third of all renters are cost-burdened. Furthermore, 74% of senior renters are cost-burdened.
The consultants found that 126 households - 15% of Putney's total - spend more than half of their income on housing.
What can be done?
The needs assessment suggests that Putney should develop a comprehensive village plan to:
• identify vacant lots for infill development (buildings that can be placed within developed areas).
• explore options for expanding existing residences, such as creating accessory dwelling units (independent living units on the same lot as a single-family home).
• investigate how to extend water and wastewater services from the village to new buildable sites.
Putney is in the early stages of updating its wastewater management plan. "We'll focus on future development and evaluate how to enhance our current water and wastewater infrastructure to support any new housing and economic growth," said Town Manager Karen Astley.
Additional strategies to tackle the town's housing shortage include:
• collaborating with local employers to create housing options.
• expanding senior housing solutions.
• establishing a housing investment fund to support local development efforts.
• improving existing housing stock through maintenance and weatherization efforts.
• hiring a housing coordinator to facilitate pre-development efforts.
The Selectboard adopted the planning commission's recommended Action Plan, which is based on the strategies outlined in the Needs Assessment, at its Feb. 19 meeting.
"It's great that Putney is working to identify not just the needs, but specific, and attainable, goals in housing," said Alex Farrell, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in an email to The Commons.
"This is exactly the type of groundwork that can be done by communities to set the stage for policy action to enable the type of homebuilding and investment that is needed in communities throughout Vermont," Farrell said.
According to the Vermont Housing Needs Assessment: 2025-2029, the state will need between 24,000 and 36,000 new homes by 2029. This new housing will be essential to meet demand, normalize vacancy rates, provide shelter for homeless residents, and replace homes lost to flooding and other causes.
As mandated by the federal HOME Act of 2023 and the state's 2024 land-use and housing legislation (Act 181), the DHCD has established regional housing production targets and is collaborating with the state's 11 regional planning commissions to create metrics for measuring progress toward these targets.
The Windham Regional Commission is working on allocating the regional target of 2,571 to 3,730 new homes among the 27 towns in the southeastern region.
It takes a village
Sue Coakley, chair of the Planning Commission, led the town in the housing needs assessment project.
Understanding the importance of gathering diverse perspectives, including those who oppose the efforts of the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) to build a 25-unit mixed-income housing development in town, she organized a project advisory committee made up of community members, planning commissioners, a real estate agent, and local housing developers.
"First, we needed to bring everyone together and foster collaboration. This included truly listening and reflecting on the feedback we received in developing our strategies," Coakley explained to The Commons.
"I invited those who opposed the WWHT project to discuss what mattered to them," she continued. "I said, 'Let's not argue about the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, since that's proceeding independently. But let's focus on what matters to you. What do you want?'"
Burt Tepfer, a resident for 42 years, served on the project advisory committee.
"Putney has developed a reputation for NIMBYism ["not in my backyard"] due to resistance towards the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust project," he noted. "Initially, I thought it would be a tough sell to discuss increasing housing in Putney. However, I realized these issues aren't mutually exclusive. Many who opposed the construction of larger units might support smaller developments in town, which I found encouraging and somewhat surprising.
"What encouraged me about the project was that over 100 survey respondents expressed willingness to add housing units on their property or wanted to learn more about the possibility," he added.
The Putney Housing Solutions Task Force, a local developer group, focuses on small-scale infill development. They are working to create accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and small apartments in existing buildings and vacant lots throughout the town.
The group's goal is to secure a Community Development Block Grant to help fund the construction of 15 ADUs.
Marcella Eversole, who facilitates the task force meetings, emphasized that developing a comprehensive village plan will help unite the community around housing and economic development.
"You will generate many more visionary solutions when you're working at a visionary level," she remarked.
Tepfer added, "I believe Putney has numerous advantages when it comes to housing. It has water and sewer services, a walkable downtown with a health center, a library, a grocery store, banks, and all the necessary amenities that make it an attractive place to live."
Thanking the Planning Commission for its "very hard work," Selectboard Chair Aileen Tulloch noted that the commission is down two commissioners from its normal five. She implored community members to volunteer.
"The Planning Commission does exciting and impactful work," she said.
This News item by Ellen Pratt was written for The Commons.