Vermont is facing two serious and interrelated challenges: reducing carbon emissions, and providing housing that is energy efficient, safe, and available -housing not only for those of us who already live here, but for those who are fleeing climate catastrophes, for those fleeing political (and often lethal) turmoil, and for others we are inviting in with our culture of community.
The pace of the influx is only going to grow as climate change and other pressures worsen. Already we are seeing housing becoming unavailable, prices becoming unaffordable, farmland being lost to real estate projects, and more.
In meeting this need, it is critical we make sure we can protect precious forested land, wetlands, flood plains, and agricultural land for many reasons, carbon fixation being one of them.
Balancing open space with housing will require communities across the state to collaborate and create strategies that address individual and community needs. Smart growth includes clustered development that allows land preservation.