MONTPELIER – When it comes to housing in Vermont, the stakes are high, and the power dynamic is clear: landlords hold the keys, literally and figuratively, to the homes so many of us call essential. With roughly 71,000 renter households across the state and rising median rents, a significant portion of Vermonters live at the mercy of someone else’s property decisions.
The word “landlord” itself has an unmistakable history. Born in Medieval England, it once meant “lord of the land,” a literal reflection of control over both people and property. Today, while the feudal system is gone, the imbalance remains. Tenants rely on access to shelter, while landlords control approval, rent levels and lease terms. That power dynamic demands respect in the lawmaking process.
One practical example illustrates this tension clearly: the eviction process. Today in Vermont, it can take on average six months to evict a tenant who fails to pay rent. Nationally, it takes roughly two months. For a small landlord, say someone who owns a three-unit apartment house, one nonpaying tenant can make it nearly impossible to cover the mortgage, insurance, property taxes and upkeep. When landlords cannot meet their costs, security deposits and monthly rents go up, making housing less affordable for everyone. Shrinking the eviction process closer to the national average isn’t about being cruel; it’s about preserving reasonably priced housing.
Some lawmakers have floated ideas like rent control. Here’s the hard truth: rent control as a blunt instrument won’t solve Vermont’s housing crunch. Landlords, wary of losing income, often raise rents preemptively or limit investment in maintenance. Housing supply shrinks, and affordability deteriorates: the very opposite of what we want.
Good legislation must strike a delicate balance: protect tenants from unfair treatment and sudden displacement, but respect landlords’ rights to manage, maintain, and invest in their property. Practical solutions like targeted eviction protections, rental assistance and incentives for new housing development are far more likely to help Vermont families than broad price controls.
As legislators consider these issues, they must remember that the goal isn’t to punish landlords, nor to make the rental market a free-for-all. It’s to ensure that all Vermonters have access to safe, stable and reasonably affordable housing without unintentionally shrinking the very supply we depend on.
Housing policy is complicated. But the principles should not be: protect the vulnerable, respect property owners and avoid sweeping measures that risk making a difficult situation worse. Finding that balance has always been the Vermont way, even if it is easier said than done.
David Yacavone represents Lamoille-Washington in the Vermont Legislature, including Elmore, Morristown, Woodbury, Worcester and Stowe.
