Developments Poised to Reshape Hinesburg with New Housing

By The Hinesburg Affordable Housing Committee

Hinesburg is seeing a wave of new housing construction, with several large-scale projects approved or underway to address the region’s housing shortage. These developments promise to add hundreds of new homes, some perpetually affordable, from single-family houses to senior apartments, while expanding the town’s commercial footprint and public amenities.

What is Perpetually Affordable Housing?

Perpetually affordable housing is designed to permanently protect a home’s affordability for low-income families, even as the property is bought and sold over the years. Any public or private funding used to acquire or develop the property initially stays with the home permanently. This means the affordability is “recycled” to benefit each new generation of owners, rather than expiring after a set number of years. For income eligible households, the monthly rent or monthly purchase related costs cannot exceed 30 percent of the household’s gross annual income.

Kelley’s Field II (Affordable Senior Housing)

The Kelley’s Field II project, a partnership between Evernorth and Cathedral Square Corporation, addresses the need for affordable senior housing.

● The 24-unit senior housing project is located at the end of Kelley’s Field Road. These 24 new units are in addition to the existing 24 units. All these units, new and existing, are perpetually affordable.

● Construction began in May 2023, and the new apartments became available in February 2025 and were fully occupied by March.

Flying Tractor (Laster Subdivision)

Along Mechanicsville Road, the Flying Tractor subdivision is progressing in phases under a Master Plan for 54 total homes. Phase 1A, an 8-unit subdivision, received final approval in June 2023, and construction started in the spring of 2024. Phase 1B, which includes 16 units across 12 lots, is in the permitting process with sketch plan and preliminary plat approvals received to date. Construction extending the road and utilities is expected to begin in late 2025 or 2026. The developer has committed to dedicating 15 percent, or four units, of the development to perpetually affordable housing.

Haystack Crossing

One of the most significant projects is Haystack Crossing, a mixed-use development that has received its Act 250 approval and broke ground in July. Located on the west side of Route 116 north of Kinney Drugs and south of Shelburne Falls Road, the multi-phased project plans to include:

● 176 housing units, including single-family homes, multi-family units, and 50 congregate care units for seniors. Ten of the senior units and ten of the remaining homes will be perpetually affordable.

● 27,000 square feet of commercial or light industrial space.

● New sidewalks and bike paths will connect the development to the rest of the village.

Windy Ridge

Windy Ridge, a 74-unit (66 perpetually affordable) subdivision planned for the east side of Route 116 between Riggs Road (the entrance to NRG) and CVU Road, will further boost the housing stock. The Champlain Housing Trust, Evernorth, and Maclay Architects are developing the project. The Hinesburg Development Review Board (DRB) is reviewing its preliminary plat; sketch plan approval has already been granted. Construction of the first phase, Riggs Meadow, is targeted for 2026.

Hinesburg Center Phase 2

Final town approval was received in February 2023, but the Act 250 permit was not approved. The project has been revised, and plans are now for 82 new housing units (12 perpetually affordable) near Kinney Drugs on Route 116. The revised project is seeking town approval. Construction could potentially start in 2026.

Smaller Developments

In addition to these large projects, there are the following smaller ones:

● Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity (GMHFH) is working on a two-triplex project on Mechanicsville Road. All these units are perpetually affordable housing. This project received sketch plan approval in February 2025 and a six-month extension in September 2025. GMHFH is also involved with homes in the Windy Ridge and Flying Tractor projects.

● Matt Baldwin proposes nine housing units on a 104.3-acre parcel located on the west side of Baldwin Road south of Lewis Creek in the Agricultural Zoning District. This project is currently in the approval process for the sketch plan.

Total Units

If all the projects are approved and built, there would be 395 total units, with 132 of them perpetually affordable.

Zoning Updates Support New Development

Parallel with these projects, the town is also modernizing its zoning regulations to facilitate housing development and align with recent State legislation. New rules, which went into effect in September 2025, aim to enable more infill and redevelopment and allow for a broader range of housing types. Revisions address outdated regulations that made building certain housing types, such as duplexes, difficult.

Planning for the Future

These construction projects represent a concerted effort by Hinesburg to manage growth and address the critical need for more housing options. By partnering with developers and revising local regulations, the town is working to ensure its vision for the future, as outlined in its Town Plan, becomes a reality.