The Town of Chester is studying housing development potential at the 139-acre Town-owned property south of GMUHS to serve the local workforce and community members.
Open House
The Town will be hosting a public open house on Tuesday, March 18th from 4:00 – 7:00 PM in the Chester Town Hall (upstairs) to discuss housing development at this property. The community is welcome to drop in anytime between 4 and 7 to participate in this open house; there will be no formal presentation. Attendees can expect to spend 15 - 20 minutes learning about the project and answering interactive questions to share your thoughts on the need for housing in Chester and the type of development you’d like to see on this property. Snacks will be provided, and attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a local gift card.
Why Housing?
As with many Vermont towns, Chester is currently experiencing a shortage of housing affordable for the local workforce and community members.
In 2023, the median income of Chester households was $67,031. For housing to be affordable, all housing costs (including maintenance and utilities) must equal 30% of a household's income or less, meaning that the median Chester household should pay no more than $1,675 each month for housing. This is equivalent to purchasing a home of approximately $237,000. Average home values (according to Zillow ZHVI) have increased from $242,460 in 2020 to $347,891 in 2024, a 44% increase in four years. Furthermore, the Mount Ascutney Region needs to develop between 1,207 and 1,781 new housing units by 2030 and between 3,750 and 7,391 by 2050, according to the 2025 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment.
The Town has recognized the need for more housing to serve the community and is analyzing several Town-owned properties to understand if they are suitable for affordable housing development.
About the Project
The Town has hired Vermont-based planning and design team SE Group to conduct this project, which includes a site feasibility analysis, a market study, and community outreach. This project is being funded through a Municipal Planning Grant awarded by the Vermont department of Housing and Community Development.
More information can be found at https://arcg.is/1m54nr1 or by reaching out to the Town Office at (802) 875-2173.
Open House
The Town will be hosting a public open house on Tuesday, March 18th from 4:00 – 7:00 PM in the Chester Town Hall (upstairs) to discuss housing development at this property. The community is welcome to drop in anytime between 4 and 7 to participate in this open house; there will be no formal presentation. Attendees can expect to spend 15 - 20 minutes learning about the project and answering interactive questions to share your thoughts on the need for housing in Chester and the type of development you’d like to see on this property. Snacks will be provided, and attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a local gift card.
Why Housing?
As with many Vermont towns, Chester is currently experiencing a shortage of housing affordable for the local workforce and community members.
In 2023, the median income of Chester households was $67,031. For housing to be affordable, all housing costs (including maintenance and utilities) must equal 30% of a household's income or less, meaning that the median Chester household should pay no more than $1,675 each month for housing. This is equivalent to purchasing a home of approximately $237,000. Average home values (according to Zillow ZHVI) have increased from $242,460 in 2020 to $347,891 in 2024, a 44% increase in four years. Furthermore, the Mount Ascutney Region needs to develop between 1,207 and 1,781 new housing units by 2030 and between 3,750 and 7,391 by 2050, according to the 2025 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment.
The Town has recognized the need for more housing to serve the community and is analyzing several Town-owned properties to understand if they are suitable for affordable housing development.
About the Project
The Town has hired Vermont-based planning and design team SE Group to conduct this project, which includes a site feasibility analysis, a market study, and community outreach. This project is being funded through a Municipal Planning Grant awarded by the Vermont department of Housing and Community Development.
More information can be found at https://arcg.is/1m54nr1 or by reaching out to the Town Office at (802) 875-2173.
RSS Feed