24 V.S.A. § ___ § 4010
Duties
Operative Text
(a) In the operation of or management of housing projects an authority shall at all times observe the following duties with respect to rentals and tenant selection: (1) It may rent or lease the dwelling accommodations therein only to persons of low income or elders who are of low income, or both. (2) It may rent or lease the dwelling accommodations therein only at rentals within the financial reach of such persons as indicated of low income. (3) It may rent or lease to a tenant dwelling accommodations consisting of the number of rooms (but no greater number) that it deems necessary to provide safe and sanitary accommodations to the proposed occupants thereof, without overcrowding. (4) It shall not accept any person as a tenant in any housing project if the person or persons who would occupy the dwelling accommodations have an annual net income in excess of five times the annual rental of the quarters to be furnished such person or persons, except that in the case of families of three or more minor dependents, such ratio shall not exceed six to one; in computing the rental for this purpose of selecting tenants, there shall be included in the rental the average annual cost (as determined by the authority) to the occupants, of heat, water, electricity, gas, cooking range, and other necessary services or facilities, whether or not the charge for such services and facilities is in fact included in the rental. (5) It shall prohibit subletting by tenants. (6) When renting or leasing accessible dwelling accommodations, it shall give priority to tenants with a disability. As used in this subdivision, “accessible” means a dwelling that complies with the requirements for an accessible unit set forth in section 1102 of the 2017 ICC Standard for Accessible and Useable Buildings and Facilities or a similar standard adopted by the Access Board by rule pursuant to 20 V.S.A. § 2901. (b) Nothing contained in this section or section 4009 of this chapter shall be construed as limiting the power of an authority to vest in an obligee the right, in the event of a default by an authority, to take possession of a housing project or cause the appointment of a receiver thereof, or acquire title thereto through foreclosure proceedings, free from all the restrictions imposed by this section or section 4009 of this chapter. (c) The director of any housing authority may obtain from the Vermont Crime Information Center the record of convictions of any person applying for residence in any housing project administered by the housing authority. (Added 1961, No. 212, § 10, eff. July 11, 1961; amended 1995, No. 51, § 3; 2013, No. 96 (Adj. Sess.), § 160; 2023, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 92, eff. June 17, 2024.)
Under 24 V.S.A. ch. 113 § 4010, Vermont housing authorities operating public housing projects are bound by a set of mandatory duties governing who may rent units and under what conditions. Eligible tenants must be low-income individuals or qualifying elders, and rents must be set within their financial means. Additional rules cap the income-to-rent ratio for tenant selection, prohibit subletting, require that unit size match occupant needs without overcrowding, and mandate that accessible units be prioritized for tenants with disabilities.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Housing authorities and their management staff operating under 24 V.S.A. ch. 113 § 4010 are expected to maintain documented eligibility screening processes that verify applicants meet income thresholds and that the income-to-rent ratio does not exceed the statutory limits—five-to-one generally, or six-to-one for families with three or more minor dependents. Lease agreements for projects governed by this section typically include explicit prohibitions on subletting, and unit assignments are generally matched to the number of occupants to avoid overcrowding. When accessible units become available, compliant operators give priority to applicants with disabilities, consistent with the accessibility standards referenced in § 4010(a)(6).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants and applicants in Vermont public housing projects covered by 24 V.S.A. ch. 113 § 4010 have a right to be considered under clear eligibility criteria, including income limits and unit-size standards designed to prevent overcrowding. Individuals with disabilities have a statutory priority right to accessible units as defined in § 4010(a)(6), and subletting is prohibited under the same provision. Those who believe an authority has not followed these duties may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization, reaching out to the housing authority's oversight body, or consulting with a legal aid provider familiar with Vermont public housing law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation