If you're providing down-payment assistance to purchase a house IN VERMONT, they couldn't very well just abscond with the cash. True, the would have to be some kind of stipulations that they live full-time in the property for X number of years, or the money has to be paid back.

But that's fine; it's not JUST about housing stock (though to be fair, that is a factor). The point is, home ownership is the largest source of wealth for most Americans. I would rather see financial assistance directed to help renters get into a home and start building that wealth, rather than write a big check to existing homeowners who already HAVE that equity... so they can make even more money by collecting rent from tenants who are still struggling to achieve home ownership.