Ben Bonaccio, 26, is the social media marketing manager for Long Trail Brewing. A Vermont native, Bonaccio has seen many of his friends leave the state, but he hasn't found a reason to move away.
On seeing friends leave Vermont
"A few years out of college, I'm starting to see more and more of my friends split and head towards some of the larger cities. I feel like a lot of my friends have felt like they need to spread their wings a little bit, get outside. Move out west, move to Boston, move to New York City, whatever that entails for them. But pretty much universally, everyone has this nostalgia or this love for Vermont. "
"They'll say 'I wish I could come back to Vermont, but...'or 'I miss this so much, I wish I could be there.' And by staying here I feel like I'm kind of skipping that step."
"It seems almost like for whatever reason...it's this unattainable thing. They'll say 'I wish I could come back to Vermont, but...' or 'I miss this so much, I wish I could be there.' And by staying here I feel like I'm kind of skipping that step."
"The South End right now is really going through a bit of a renaissance I'd say."
On what he loves about his Burlington neighborhood
"The South End right now is really going through a bit of a renaissance I'd say. We're seeing an influx of all sorts of new businesses and events. We have all sorts of food trucks and breweries coming in. Of course there's Oakledge Park which is just a stone's throw away from my apartment. So it's beautiful sunsets, great bike rides. We're seeing a lot more young professionals coming into that area. So there's a greater sense of community than there has been in the past."
On what he thinks would attract and keep more young people
"Creating more jobs. Jobs that have more of a longevity, or a career path or structure to them, with some room for growth.
"If we could have a better vacancy rate, better housing options, more affordable housing options, I think that would draw more young people to the area and keep a lot more young people here."
Also, the housing market and rentals for young people. It's really tricky. The cost of living is exorbitant compared to some other comparable places. I mean, I love being here, but that's definitely a struggle. If we could have a better vacancy rate, better housing options, more affordable housing options, I think that would draw more young people to the area and keep a lot more young people here."
