A Delightful Column
To the Editor:
The Larry Floersch story (
“State of Mind: On King! On You Huskies,” Sept. 6–19, 2023) recollecting store-bought cereals of his youth was delightful. And Larry, I thought Sergeant Preston of the Yukon was gorgeous, and I still use the flashlight obtained with Wheat Chex box tops.
Mary Carlson, Montpelier
We Need a New Approach to Creating Housing
To the Editor:
It’s evident that housing costs in Vermont are at a crisis point.
In an age of technology and design thinking, one would think it’s possible to create new approaches to constructing high-quality, energy-efficient, affordable housing.
Just as entire new neighborhoods sprang up across Vermont in the 50s and 60s, a new housing boom is needed now, creating housing that average Vermonters are able to afford. It is time for a public/private partnership to purchase large blocks of land, construct necessary infrastructure (roads, power, water, and septic — the public part) then let the private sector bid to construct affordable homes based on new designs.
To ensure that speculators don’t reap the rewards at the expense of mid-income residents, perhaps buyers must meet criteria similar to those required by FHA.
Why not sponsor a national contest for the creation of new communities detailing the design of both neighborhoods and homes? Invite architects, builders, or anyone with a desire to imagine how we solve the acute housing problem faced across Vermont.
New approaches are required to both how we conceive of housing and create communities today.
Gregory Dunkling, Stowe
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