The current housing situation in Vermont is an absolute joke. The overall vacancy availability in the state has dropped to as low as 0.5% in recent months.
How did we let this happen?
There are several factors involved. They mainly stem from out-of-staters' panic-buying properties in the early stages of the pandemic, only to decide they don't need them after all. They've become Airbnb rentals. So now there are many, many, many rooms or houses that you can rent or reserve short-term, but very few long-term.
This also falls on the state of Vermont for not enforcing more control over the landlords, who have now raised the rents so high that the tiny number of properties that are available are not affordable for anyone who isn't a high-profile lawyer, doctor, or other professional making several thousand dollars a month.