Appeals and permitting process highlight Gov. Scott’s housing package [Video]

Recent reports have shown Vermont needs tens of thousands of homes over the next few years to keep pace with what the state needs. It’s no secret that the state has a severe housing shortage, and solving it is one of Gov. Phil Scott’s top four priorities this legislative session.On Tuesday afternoon, he gave ideas on how to do that and gave a preview of what his housing package will look like this year.Appeals, permitting and Act 250 are just a few of the variables that Scott said are causing the ongoing housing shortage in the state.He said the state needs 40,000 homes by 2023 and 172,000 by 2050 and that Vermont is building at a quarter of the pace necessary to reach those levels. “We need regulatory reform so it’s more cost-effective for small-scale investors and homebuilders to build and fix up homes,” Scott said. The administration said appeals …