We advocate for our downtowns in the legislature
and in our communities.
In 2025, we request the legislature's support for critical investments.
Vermont's downtowns are confronting unprecedented challenges: an acute housing crisis, workforce shortages, the growing impacts of climate change, shifting consumer behaviors in the wake of the pandemic, and demographic changes that threaten the stability of our community centers.
State investment has catalyzed local revitalization and resilience, our 2025 state policy agenda builds on those past successes and calls for a commitment to continued investment.
Ensure Base Funding for Downtown Programs
Base funding of $625,000 for Vermont's Designated Downtowns to support essential marketing, digital outreach, and partnerships that strengthen local businesses and community organizations.
Established by state statute in 1998, the creation of Designated Downtowns provided communities with financial incentives, helped restore historic buildings, improved housing, designed walkable communities, and encouraged economic development by incentivizing public and private investments.
This funding is crucial for the designated downtown organizations to continue their impact.
Downtown & Village Redevelopment Incentives
$5 million for the Downtown and Village Center tax credit program, which has been instrumental in revitalizing community centers while preserving their historic character and improving building safety.
Vermont’s highly successful Downtown and Village Center Tax Credit program continues to play a pivotal role across the state. The funded projects enhance the historic character and improve building safety of older and historic commercial and community buildings. The credits support general rehabilitation work, code compliance work, and façade improvements and may be combined with federal programs. Despite the program’s success, there remains a backlog of projects that are ready for funding.
Better Places Program
We will advocate continued funding of $500,000 for the Better Places. This highly successful program provides matching grants from $5,000 to $40,000 for placemaking projects that enhance the vitality of our downtowns and village centers while leveraging public dollars with matching private funds.
Enhance Public Safety
We will continue to prioritize public safety and its impact on the vitality of our downtown areas. Our work this session is to actively support legislation that addresses the significant challenges posed by the growing issues related to substance abuse and lack of housing in our communities.
Support Public Infrastructure
The effects of climate change has been devasting to many of our downtown communities. We will be active in legislation that addresses critical flood response and infrastructure needs.