Vermont Statutes
Chapter 1 - Emergency Management
§ 34. Temporary housing for disaster victims

§ 34. Temporary housing for disaster victims
(a) Whenever the Governor has proclaimed a disaster emergency under the laws of this State, or the President has declared an emergency or a major disaster to exist in this State, the Governor is authorized:
(1) To enter into purchase, lease, or other arrangements with any agency of the United States for temporary housing units to be occupied by disaster victims and to make such units available to any political subdivision of the State.
(2) To assist any political subdivision of this State that is the locus of temporary housing for disaster victims to acquire sites necessary for the temporary housing and to do all things required to prepare the site to receive and utilize temporary housing units by:
(A) advancing or lending funds available to the Governor from any appropriation made by the General Assembly or from any other source,
(B) “passing through” funds made available by any agency, public or private, or
(C) becoming a co-partner with the political subdivision for the execution and performance of any temporary housing for disaster victims project and for such purposes to pledge the credit of the State on such terms as the Governor deems appropriate having due regard for current debt transactions of the State.
(b) Under rules adopted by the Governor, to temporarily suspend or modify for not more than 60 days any public health, safety, zoning, transportation (within or across the State), or other requirement of law or rules within Vermont when by proclamation the Governor deems the suspension or modification essential to provide temporary housing for disaster victims.
(c) Any political subdivision of this State is expressly authorized to acquire, temporarily or permanently, by purchase, lease, or otherwise, sites required for installation of temporary housing units for disaster victims, and to enter into whatever arrangements are necessary to prepare or equip such sites to utilize the housing units, including the purchase of temporary housing units and payment of transportation charges.
(d) The Governor is authorized to adopt rules as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
(e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the Governor’s authority to apply for, administer, and expend any grants, gifts, or payments in aid of disaster prevention, preparedness, response, or recovery.
(f) As used in this chapter, “major disaster,” “emergency,” and “temporary housing” have the same meaning as in the Disaster Relief Act of 1974, P.L. 93-288. (Added 1975, No. 97, § 1, eff. April 30, 1975; amended 2021, No. 20, § 123.)

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