This commentary is by Don Keelan of Arlington, a retired certified public accountant.VTDigger reported on Aug. 30 that “Vermont would need to build between 24,000 and 36,000 new housing units to meet estimated demand over the next five years, according to the latest Vermont Housing Needs Assessment.” The report originated with the Vermont Housing Financing Agency for the Department of Housing and Community Development.The good news is that these numbers are now a wee bit lower. VTDigger reported on Sept. 5 that the Haystack Crossing project in Hinesburg received its Act 250 permit to develop “almost 200 units of housing.”There is some bad news: the Hinesburg Development Review Board denied the conceptual sketch plan for the Haystack Crossing project on Aug. 27, 2014. According to the town website, the final DRB approval came on Nov. 1, 2022, over eight years later. The most likely exhausted and frustrated developer, BlackRock Construction, LLC, of South Burlington, was still not in a position to begin construction; the project had to run the gauntlet of Act 250, which began when an application was filed with the district commission on Feb. 15, 2023.What an application it was, according to the state’s Act 250 website. The list of documents filed with the application goes on for pages, describing reports, maps, studies, photos, correspondence, memos, equipment specs, approval letters and enclosed fees — well over 100 documents. I cannot imagine the number of computer gigabytes needed to file documents for the 23,800 to 35,800 units still to be developed.The commission issued a permit on Aug. 27, 18 months after it received the application and exactly 10 years from the date the project was presented to the Hinesburg DRB.  By connecting the Hinesburg saga with the administration’s housing needs assessment, a few takeaways should be noted: The housing development project took ten years to obtain approval and is still subject to appeal.Developers estimated the project will take ten years to develop.Only a handful of Vermont real estate housing developers could contend with the cost, time, and technical/legal aspects of prosecuting the local/state approvals. Most developers just don’t have the staff or capital. Since Haystack Crossing was first presented in 2014, the housing market has undergone a sea of change. Mortgage and construction loan interest rates have increased substantially, housing prices increased nearly 40% from 2019 to 2023, the cost of building materials has spiked dramatically and the building labor force has shrunk significantly. So, what can be done to meet the demand?We need a rule requiring all local and state approvals to be accomplished within 60 days after a developer files an application. And if the government misses the deadline, the development should be assumed approved anyway. Localities should create pre-approved sites ready to be built upon with all wetlands, traffic, density, abutters, zoning, storm drainage and wastewater/portable water issues resolved. This will attract developers who are considering acquiring such sites without waiting 10 years for approval. Towns should pass zoning laws to provide for two- or three-story, multi-family attached housing units in village settings.   If a town’s DRB and planning commission are staffed with professionals, there should be no need to repeat the review process through ACT 250. Repurpose the Vermont Energy Investment Corporation’s $100 million annual revenue and pass it on to municipalities to prepare sites within their towns for development.  The state and the Associated General Contractors of Vermont will create and/or expand apprentice schools in four regions of the state. The schools will be specific: train carpenters, electricians, plumbers, heavy equipment operators, HVAC, welders, concrete, roofers and plan reviewers. Real estate housing developers rarely have a seat at the table when housing is discussed. With the statewide demand for housing, you have to wonder why developers are not flocking to Vermont. One reason can be found in Hinesburg: 10 years for approvals.Read the story on VTDigger here: Don Keelan: There is some good news in housing. Really!.