Killington OKs 150 Affordable Units to Ease Tourism Worker Crunch

Killington Selectboard members greenlit a 150-unit affordable housing development this week, targeting acute workforce shortages in Vermont's tourism sector. The project, part of the broader Killington Forward initiative, will deliver year-round options for resort staff, addressing a crisis where high housing costs drive workers away from the mountain town. Planners emphasized the need for 150 to 200 new units region-wide within three years, with Killington's contribution focusing on multi-family apartments and single-family homes on a 70-acre site tied to new municipal water infrastructure.

The approval coincides with Great Gulf's $3 billion Live Killington Village expansion, a public-private partnership that secured voter approval on Town Meeting Day 2022. Phase 1, now under construction since groundbreaking in 2023, includes 225 ski-in/ski-out condos, 32,000 square feet of retail and dining, and The Crystal Lodge, with completion targeted for 2028. Great Gulf and Killington Resort committed $700,000 to jumpstart 300 workforce units, blending with the town's tax increment financing, $6 million in federal-state grants, and infrastructure upgrades to avoid tax hikes.

Vermont's tourism industry, powering Killington's 1,200 permanent jobs and 3,800 construction roles over 25 years, faces persistent housing barriers. The development promises $285 million in boosted property values and year-round appeal through sustainable features like geothermal systems, heat pumps, and pedestrian-only streets. Officials, including housing coalition partners from Rutland City and Brandon, view it as foundational for retaining the workforce that sustains Killington's economic engine.