Vermont
Lawmakers take up stopgap funding for Section 8 housing vouchers – VTDigger
This story, by Report for America corps member Carly Berlin, was produced through a partnership between VTDigger and Vermont Public.
With federal funds dwindling for a key housing assistance program, Vermont lawmakers are looking at using state money to slow the loss of vouchers that help thousands of Vermonters cover rent.
Legislators have said they want to earmark $5 million in a mid-year spending package to soften the blow of funding reductions to the Section 8 program. The bill has plenty more hurdles to clear, but a key housing panel registered its support for the funds on Thursday after local public housing authorities have spent months crying for help.
READ MORE
Still, the earmark falls far short of the $18 million housing authority leaders had originally bid for last fall, an amount that would have maxed out Vermont’s voucher ceiling set by the feds and boosted the number of vouchers in rotation.
“What we’re trying to do with this one-time, strategic intervention is to…slow the decrease in the number of vouchers in this calendar year as much as possible,” said Rep. Marc Mihaly, D-Calais, who chairs the House General and Housing Committee.
As Vermont faces steep housing costs and persistently high levels of homelessness, federal housing vouchers play a crucial role in sustaining housing for low-income people who can’t afford market-rate rents. Voucher recipients pay a third of their income toward rent; a local agency administering the federal program pays for the rest. The vouchers offer one of the few avenues out of homelessness for the thousands of Vermonters sleeping in shelters, motels and outdoors.
But over the last year, local housing authorities in Vermont have seen reductions in funding from Congress. That has led many of the nine local authorities to stop issuing new vouchers off their lengthy waiting lists, rescind vouchers from people looking for an apartment to use them, and shelve vouchers when tenants have died or moved out. The state lost hundreds of housing vouchers in 2025 through attrition.
Still, many of the nine Vermont housing authorities are entering 2026 in a budget shortfall which they don’t expect to ease anytime soon. Berk is now worried VSHA might need to take the extraordinary step of withdrawing vouchers from people currently using them to help pay their rent if the state does not intervene.
Draft bills in Congress would result in the loss of roughly 300 to 600 more vouchers in Vermont – or $3.6 million to $7.2 million – according to Berk.
“Preserving housing assistance and keeping Vermont families stably housed has to be a priority,” Berk told lawmakers Thursday.
The federal government bases future years’ Section 8 voucher funding on past years’ spending by local housing authorities. That means that as Vermont authorities shrink their voucher rolls, they can expect to receive less money in the future even if need remains great, leading to what Berk has called a “downward spiral” in the number of vouchers available to Vermont renters.
The $5 million in state aid is meant to halt that spiral, at least for a year: It would allow Vermont housing authorities to slow down the erosion in the number of vouchers available to Vermont renters and ensure the state gets more federal money in the coming years.
“It means that we will always get a greater share of whatever [Congress chooses] to give us [in] future years,” Mihaly said.
Rep. Robin Scheu, D-Middlebury, chair of the powerful budget-writing panel in the House, said Friday morning that her committee is looking at the funding ask “very seriously.”
“If the Section 8 voucher goes away, these people will not be able to afford to pay full market value, and if they can’t pay, then they don’t have a place to live,” Scheu said.
The stopgap funding would help local housing authorities offset funding shortfalls and prevent the displacement of families, according to Berk.
The earlier public housing authorities can receive the funding, the more vouchers they can save this calendar year, Mihaly said – hence, lawmakers’ attempt to earmark the funds as part of the mid-year spending bill typically passed in March.
But Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s administration has signaled it wants to hold off and consider the ask as part of the budget for fiscal year 2027, which begins in July.
“[The governor] believes that in the face of federal uncertainty, we should not be appropriating funds without first understanding the full budget picture and weighing all priorities before making those decisions,” said Amanda Wheeler, Scott’s press secretary.
The House Committee on Appropriations is expected to hash out its version of the mid-year spending package over the coming weeks, before the bill is sent to the House floor and then to the Senate.
BOLTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A wrong-way driver was safely stopped on Interstate 89 overnight Sunday.
Vermont State Police say just before 12:30 a.m., they stopped the car near marker 77, near Bolton.
The driver, Denise Lear, 60, of Revere, was charged with driving under the influence and gross negligent operation.
Lear is expected in court Monday.
Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.
Score: UAlbany 4, Vermont 14
Location: Virtue Field | Burlington, Vt.
Records: UAlbany (10-5, 5-1 America East) | Vermont (8-6, 4-1 America East)
Short Story: UAlbany women’s lacrosse fell to the Vermont Catamounts on Saturday afternoon.
Key Stats
- Grace Cincebox recorded a total of 14 saves with 13 goals allowed for a .565 save percentage.
- Ravan Marsell led the Great Danes with two points on one goal and one assist.
- Four different UAlbany players scored in the contest.
- Reggie Williams was the team’s leader with three ground balls.
- Delilah Mile caused a team high three turnovers.
How It Happened
- The Catamounts came out of the gates hard and heavy, scoring all three goals between both sides in the first quarter.
- Vermont would take an 8-0 lead in the second quarter before Amanda Williamson found the back of the net on a women-down goal to put the Great Danes on the board and make it 8-1.
- The Great Danes would allow one more goal in the first half to trail 9-1 after 30-minutes of play.
- Grace Cincebox would enter the half with 10 saves.
- Riley Forthofer started the Great Danes off in the second half to make it a 9-2 game, before Vermont put up three more goals to take a 12-2 lead entering the final quarter of play.
- Mya Carroll and Ravan Marsell both scored on back-to-back free-position goals to make it a 12-4 game.
- The Catamounts finished the game with two more goals to take the win 14-4.
Up Next
The Great Danes will next have a bye week and wait to see the outcome of next week’s Vermont vs UMass Lowell game to see who will host the America East Tournament.
Social Central: Stay up to date with UAlbany women’s lacrosse by following the team on Instagram (@UAlbanyWLax), Facebook (UAlbany Women’s Lacrosse), and X (@UAlbanyWLax) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.
Is creativity the missing key to better health?
Research suggests creative activities like art, music and crafts may benefit mental health as much as other key health habits.
Here’s another reason Vermont is the best New England state: It’s home to one of the top 5 happiest cities in the United States.
Plus, it has another within the top 15.
Massachusetts, on the other hand, doesn’t even break the top 50. Nor, does Connecticut or Rhode Island.
The personal finance website analyzed 182 of the largest cities in the country, and ranked Boston 63rd overall. Although the city is home to some of the nation’s top universities, high-ranking hospitals, and well-regarded companies, it didn’t break the top 50.
To get the rankings, WalletHub compared the cities using 29 metrics, including life-satisfaction index, depression rate, poverty rate, job security, and acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, and cities were assigned an overall happiness score.
Here’s a look at how the cities ranked.
South Burlington is No. 4 happiest city, Burlington is No. 11
South Burlington came on top for Vermont in WalletHub’s list of the happiest cities in the United States, ranking at No. 4. In scored very high for emotional and physical well-being coming in at the No. 4 spot, which made up for coming in No. 48 for community and environment. It was No. 9 for income and employment ranking. That gave it a total happiness of score of 70.15
Burlington wasn’t far behind at all, taking the No. 11 spot on the list and a happiness score of 67.54. It’s highest score was for income and employment ranking where it came second. It ranked No. 13 for community and environment and No. 21 for emotional and physical well-being.
Happiest cities in the US, per WalletHub
Here are the 25 happiest cities in the U.S., and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:
- Fremont, California – 74.09
- Bismarck, North Dakota – 73.11
- Scottsdale, Arizona – 71.36
- South Burlington, Vermont – 70.15
- Fargo, North Dakota – 69.36
- Overland Park, Kansas – 68.45
- Charleston, South Carolina – 68.44
- Irvine, California – 67.99
- Gilbert, Arizona – 67.96
- San Jose, California – 67.79
- Burlington, Vermont – 67.54
- Madison, Wisconsin – 66.35
- Columbia, Maryland – 66.28
- Chandler, Arizona – 65.69
- Seattle, Washington – 65.62
- Plano, Texas – 65.34
- San Francisco, California – 64.99
- Lincoln, Nebraska – 64.90
- Portland, Maine – 64.59
- Tempe, Arizona – 64.30
- San Diego, California – 64.30
- Raleigh, North Carolina – 63.47
- Peoria, Arizona – 63.38
- Durham, North Carolina – 62.84
- Huntington Beach, California – 62.80
Least happy cities in the US, per WalletHub
Here are the 25 least happy cities in the U.S., and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:
- Detroit, Michigan (#182 overall) – 29.55
- Memphis, Tennessee (#181 overall) – 34.39
- Shreveport, Louisiana (#180 overall) – 34.93
- Cleveland, Ohio (#179 overall) – 36.50
- Huntington, West Virginia (#178 overall) – 37.20
- Toledo, Ohio (#177 overall) – 37.21
- Augusta, Georgia (#176 overall) – 38.24
- Fort Smith, Arkansas (#175 overall) – 38.66
- Dover, Delaware (#174 overall) – 39.08
- Akron, Ohio (#173 overall) – 40.11
- Baltimore, Maryland (#172 overall) – 40.28
- Birmingham, Alabama (#171 overall) – 40.37
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana (#170 overall) – 40.47
- Columbus, Georgia (#169 overall) – 40.61
- Montgomery, Alabama (#168 overall) – 41.35
- Gulfport, Mississippi (#167 overall) – 41.65
- Charleston, West Virginia (#166 overall) – 42.18
- Jackson, Mississippi (#165 overall) – 42.60
- St. Louis, Missouri (#164 overall) – 43.53
- Knoxville, Tennessee (#163 overall) – 44.04
- Wilmington, Delaware (#162 overall) – 44.34
- Little Rock, Arkansas (#161 overall) – 44.48
- Mobile, Alabama (#160 overall) – 44.85
- New Orleans, Louisiana (#159 overall) – 45.19
- Tulsa, Oklahoma (#158 overall) – 45.33
Where New England cities ranked
Here are the 12 happiest cities in New England, and their happiness scores, according to WalletHub’s 2026 list:
- South Burlington, Vermont (#6 overall) – 70.15
- Burlington, Vermont (#11 overall) – 67.54
- Portland, Maine (#19 overall) – 64.59
- Nashua, New Hampshire (#27 overall) – 62.49
- Manchester, New Hampshire (#51 overall) – 59.10
- Boston, Massachusetts (#63 overall) – 56.88
- Warwick, Rhode Island (#66 overall) – 56.59
- New Haven, Connecticut (#95 overall) – 54.14
- Bridgeport, Connecticut (#96 overall) – 54.01
- Providence, Rhode Island (#98 overall) – 53.52
- Worcester, Massachusetts (#116 overall) – 50.12
- Lewiston, Maine (#145 overall) – 47.28
-
Texas2 minutes agoTexas needs at least $174 billion to avoid water crisis, state says
-
Utah8 minutes agoMultiple earthquakes detected near Kanosh
-
Vermont14 minutes agoWrong-way driver stopped on I-89, charged with DUI
-
Virginia20 minutes agoParachutist Slams into Jumbotron at Virginia Tech Spring Game
-
Wisconsin32 minutes agoUS animal rights activists clash with police over Wisconsin dog breeder
-
West Virginia38 minutes agoThe 2026 WVU Tommy Nickolich Award Goes to a Parkersburg Native
-
Wyoming44 minutes agoWyoming Gov. Mark Gordon won’t seek a third term. He won’t rule out running for other offices, either
-
Crypto50 minutes ago1 Cryptocurrency to Buy While It’s Under $80,000