Affordable Housing

ACT 250 PUBLIC FORUMS 2018

The Commission on Act 250: The Next 50 Years (the Legislative Commission on Act 250) is gathering public input this summer and fall on Vermonters’ vision for the future Vermont landscape. Public input will inform our report and any changes we might recommend to the statutes. All forums are 6:00pm-8:00pm

1) 6/27/18 SPRINGFIELD {Nolin-Murray Center at St. Mary’s Catholic Church) 2) 7/11/18 MANCHESTER {The Inn at Manchester} 3) 7/25/18 SOUTH ROYALTON* {Vermont Law School} 4) 8/22/18 ISLAND POND** {American Legion at Island Pond} 5) 9/5/18 RUTLAND {The Franklin Conference Center} 6) 9/12/18 BURLINGTON {Burlington Elks Lodge – 925 North Ave, Burlington, VT}

*Updated from RANDOLPH to SOUTH ROYALTON. ** tentative

For complete, up-to-date information on these and more, visit the Commission on Act 250: The Next 50 Years on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Act250Next50/ 7/11/2018 Wharf Lane Resident Association - Home

Wharf Lane Resident Association Erhard Home

YOUR PAGES SEE ALL Wharf Lane Liked Following Share Send Email Send Message Resident Sambatucada 3

Association Vermont Affordable H… 6 @WharfLaneResidentAsso ciation Brass Balagan 9

Home CONTACTS About Robert Belcher Events Betsy Liley Posts

Photos Heather Riemer 5m

Videos Sequean Mahnke 9h Community Paul S King 17h Info and Ads Write a post... Community Christopher Mathauer ABOUT WHARF LANE RESIDENT ASSOCIATION Create a Page W rite a post... Donna Canney Walters 4h Our Story

GROUP CONVERSATIONS The purpose of this organization is: to Photo/Video Tag Friends Check in promote unity among Wharf Lane residents Create New Group through social and ...

Upcoming Events See More MORE CONTACTS (3)

Community See All

Invite your friends to like this Page

26 people like this

26 people follow this

Jen Berger and 6 other friends like this

About See All

Send Message

Community Jul Art Open House 11 Today 4 PM Going Suggest Edits Jen and 4 friends

Team Members See All Donna Canney Walters

Posts

Related Pages Wharf Lane Resident Association shared an event. 17 hrs · Keep the Park Green Tomorrow is the big day for our Art Open House! 4-6pm. These Like Nonprofit Organization beautifully textured, multi-layered works contain both elements of nature and nature imagery. We are in the midst of preparing some delicious food. The community is coming out to support us. We will be having Burlington Paint and S… some exciting guests. Family, friends, neighbors, and neighboring Like Visual Arts businesses welcome! Come and see!

Only In Vermont Like Media/News Company

Pages Liked by This Page

Champlain Housin… Liked

Search https://www.facebook.com/WharfLaneResidentAssociation/ 1/4 7/11/2018 Wharf Lane Resident Association - Home

English (US) · Español · Português (Brasil) · Français (France) · Deutsch

Association Vermont Affordable H… 6 @WharfLaneResidentAsso ciation Brass Balagan 9

Home CONTACTS About Robert Belcher Events TODAY AT 4 PM Art Open House Betsy Liley Going Posts Wharf Lane Apartments, 57 Maple St, Burlington, VT Photos Jen, Corrine and 3 friends Heather Riemer 5m

Videos Like Comment Share Sequean Mahnke 9h Community 3Corrine Yonce and 2 others Paul S King 17h Info and Ads

Write a comment... Christopher Mathauer Create a Page Donna Canney Walters 4h Wharf Lane Resident Association shared a photo. GROUP CONVERSATIONS July 8 at 4:51 PM ·

Create New Group

MORE CONTACTS (3)

Kylie Dally July 8 at 2:22 PM · Instagram

This is a picture of a dream realized! In January 2017 I walked these hallways with resident leader Donna Walters and we imagined how the white walls might be i... See More

Like Comment Share

2 Oldest

View 1 comment

Write a comment...

See All

Photos

Search https://www.facebook.com/WharfLaneResidentAssociation/ 2/4 7/11/2018 Roundcube Webmail :: Training Opportunity

Subject Training Opportunity From Vermont Housing Managers Association To Date 2018-07-09 05:42 PM

Good Afternoon VHMA Members-

Please see below for an upcoming training opportunity. Registration must be completed online at the following location:

https://vermonthousingmanagers.org/seminars.php

The training will be held at the Hampton Inn in Colchester.

The deadline to register is 8/15/2018

Don't miss this opportunity! Register today!

A.J. Johnson will be presenting:

Day 1 -Rural Housing Section 515 Program This full day course outlines the basic requirements of the Rural Development Section 515 Program. The training provides an overview of Section 515 Program regulations, including rent rules, resident eligibility, income restrictions, and recertification requirements. The session also includes a full discussion of Management Plan requirements, on-site maintenance plans, tenant allowances, assets, https://just26.justhost.com:2096/cpsess7189273738/3rdparty/roundcube/?_task=mail&_safe=1&_uid=251180&_mbox=INBOX&_action=print&_extwin=1 1/2 7/11/2018 Roundcube Webmail :: Training Opportunity acceptable occupancy policies, tenant selection and unit assignment, and tenant grievance procedures.

Day 2- Marketing of Affordable Housing Developments This four-hour training is designed to provide an outline of effective marketing techniques for affordable housing properties, including HUD, Rural Development, and Low- Income Housing Tax Credit. It covers proven marketing strategies for affordable projects and provides tips in how to avoid non-compliance during the marketing of such properties. Issues covered include desired amenities, energy efficiency measures, and elements involved in a successful marketing program, as well as fair housing concerns in the development of a marketing program.

Registration includes continental breakfast each day and lunch on Day 1. Registration deadline is August 15, 2018

Our mailing address is: Vermont Housing Managers Association 88 King Street Burlington, Vt 05401

Add us to your address book

Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

https://just26.justhost.com:2096/cpsess7189273738/3rdparty/roundcube/?_task=mail&_safe=1&_uid=251180&_mbox=INBOX&_action=print&_extwin=1 2/2 Subject follow- up to yesterday’s meeting From Major, Pollaidh (Leahy) To [email protected] Date 2018-06-14 02:19 PM

Hello Coalion Members, I am sorry I was not there to join you in person yesterday. I recently came onboard with Senator Leahy's Vermont office and covering housing. Many of you worked with my predecessor Kate Ash, I look forward to connuing to be a resource to you. If Senator Leahy's office can be of assistance in your work to ensure Vermonters have access to safe and affordable housing, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at either [email protected] or 802-229- 1508. I look forward to working with you!

Pollaidh Major Field Representave Oﬃce of Senator Patrick Leahy 87 State Street, Room 338 Montpelier, VT 05602 Desk- 802-229-1508

https://just26.justhost.com:2096/cpsess7189273738/3rdparty/roundcube/?_task=mail&_safe=0&_uid=480&_mbox=INBOX.Newsletter&_action=print&… 1/1 7/11/2018 The State of the Nation's Housing 2018 | Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

THE STATE OF THE NATION'S HOUSING 2018

Since 1988 (http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research- areas/reports/state-nations-housing-1988), our annual State of the Nation’s Housing report has provided an overview of housing market conditions in the U.S. As we mark the 30th anniversary, this year’s report not only examines recent trends, but assesses whether and how key metrics have changed over the last three decades and serves as a yardstick to measure whether or not the nation has met its goal of producing decent and aordable homes for all.

DOWNLOAD THE STATE OF THE NATION'S HOUSING 2018 PDF (HTTP://WWW.JCHS.HARVARD.EDU/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/HARVARD_JCHS_STATE_OF_THE_NATIONS

http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nations-housing-2018?_cldee=ZXJoYXJkbUB2dGFmZm9yZGFibGVob3VzaW5nLm9yZw%3d%3d&recipientid=co… 1/20 7/11/2018 The State of the Nation's Housing 2018 | Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The inaugural State of the Nation’s Housing report in 1988 noted that the majority of Americans were well housed and some conditions have improved since then. More than 40 million units have been built over the past three decades, accommodating 27 million new households, replacing older homes, and improving the quality of the nation’s housing stock.

Nevertheless, several challenges highlighted in the rst report persist today. Homeownership rates among young adults are even lower than in 1988, and the share of cost-burdened renters is signicantly higher, with almost half of all renters paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing. Soaring housing costs are largely to blame. The national median rent rose 20 percent faster than overall ination between 1990 and 2016 and the median home price rose 41 percent faster. While better housing quality accounts for some of the increased costs, higher costs for building materials and labor, limited productivity gains, increased land costs, new regulatory barriers, and growing income inequality all played major roles as well.

Cost Burdens Home Sales Renters Mobility Homeownership

Nearly a third of U.S. households (38.1 million) paid more than 30% of their incomes for housing in 2016. More than half (20.8 million) are renters, and fully 80% of renters and 63% of owners making less than $30,000 are cost burdened.

http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nations-housing-2018?_cldee=ZXJoYXJkbUB2dGFmZm9yZGFibGVob3VzaW5nLm9yZw%3d%3d&recipientid=co… 2/20 Homeownership rate increases, but first-time buyers face barriers | VHFA.org - Vermont Housing Finance Agency

Prospective Homebuyers Homeowners Rental Housing Community Partners

News

Board of Commissioners Homeownership rate increases, but first-time buyers face Meetings barriers Joint Committee on Tax Credits Posted by: Mia Watson on June 21, 2018 - 8:31am

The annual report on See posts about... housing from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University (JCHS) reveals that although homeownership rates are beginning to Subscribe climb, young adults are Receive the latest housing finding it increasingly news from VHFA by email. difficult to afford to buy their Email Address first home. The report found that from 1990 to 2016 the median home price rose 41 First Name percent faster than overall inflation, outpacing wage growth during the same period. Homeownership rates among young adults today are lower than they were before the recession. This report comes as VHFA and Last Name many in the lending, real estate, and housing communities recognize June as national Homeownership Month.

The past decade was marked by rapidly increasing demand for rental housing. As the economy has improved, households are now slowly beginning to reenter the homebuyer market. However, the inventory of existing single-family homes for sale across the country is currently at the lowest level since the National Association of Realtors began tracking national sales in 1982. Lower-cost homes are especially scarce. A major factor responsible for the limited inventory is the slow pace of new construction of single-family homes, which the report attributes to continued builder caution following the 2008 housing market crash, increasing construction costs, and a dwindling supply of buildable lots in metro areas where demand is highest.

Barriers to enter homeownership also put pressure on the rental housing market. The large number of households that are still struggling to enter homeownership and remain in rental housing contribute to low vacancy rates and higher rents. JCHS reports that nearly 48 percent of renters nationwide pay more than a third of their income towards housing costs, which exceeds the federal standard of affordability. When households pay more than 30 percent of their income on rent, it can be difficult to afford other basic necessities such as food, transportation, and healthcare.

Increasing income inequality is a key factor in the overall housing affordability crisis. Since the late 1980s, the median income among Americans in the key home buying age bracket of 25-34 increased only 5 percent overall when adjusted for inflation. That increase is well under the 52 percent growth in the overall United States economy (based on GDP per capita) during that time.

The report argues that programs supporting homeownership are necessary to confront a growing national affordability crisis. The ability to save enough to afford a down payment and closing costs is a significant barrier for first-time homebuyers. Affordable housing organizations like Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA),

https://www.vhfa.org/news/blog/homeownership-rate-increases-first-time-buyers-face-barriers[7/11/2018 3:26:59 AM] Homeownership rate increases, but first-time buyers face barriers | VHFA.org - Vermont Housing Finance Agency

which offers low down payment mortgage loans and down payment and closing cost assistance, and NeighborWorks(R) Homeownership Centers, which provide financial readiness, home buyer education, and assistance programs are critical for helping young home buyers purchase their first home.

Categories: Homeownership Housing data Publications

Add New Comment

Your name

Comment *

Plain text More information about text formats

No HTML tags allowed. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

Email: [email protected] © 2001-2018 Vermont Housing Finance Agency Equal Housing Opportunity | Legal/Privacy Phone: 802-864-5743 164 Saint Paul Street Toll-free in Vermont: 800-339-5866 P.O. Box 408 Burlington, VT 05402-0408 USA Fax: 802-864-8081 VHFA Staff Access

https://www.vhfa.org/news/blog/homeownership-rate-increases-first-time-buyers-face-barriers[7/11/2018 3:26:59 AM] 7/11/2018 Roundcube Webmail :: Request for Proposals - FFY2018 HUD CoC Program funds

Subject Request for Proposals - FFY2018 HUD CoC Program funds From Daniel Blankenship Sender To Reply-To Date 2018-07-09 04:59 PM

FFY18 VT BoS CoC RFP Notice-Timeline-Application 7.9.18.pdf (~805 KB)

Vermont Coalion to End Homelessness (VT-500 Balance of State Connuum of Care) FFY2018 HUD Connuum of Care Program - Noce of Funding Availability

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) – NEW AND RENEWAL PROJECTS

The Vermont Balance of State Connuum of Care (VT BoS CoC) is accepng proposal applicaons for projects to be funded by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) as part of the FFY2018 CoC Program Noce of Funding Availability.

Applicaons for projects to serve the VT BoS CoC geographic area (all counes in Vermont, except Chienden) should address local housing and service needs, with a priority to serve vulnerable populaons including individuals & families experiencing chronic homelessness, persons ﬂeeing domesc violence, youth/young adults (18-24), families with children under 18, and Veterans.

Any and all eligible enes, including those that do not currently receive CoC Program funds, are encouraged to submit complete proposal applicaons (only one request per applicaon) for any NEW and/or RENEWAL project with the following available funds: · $3,162,700; Exisng CoC Projects - Renewal (currently funded FFY17 recipients) · $201,372; New or Expansion Projects - Reallocaon funding (any eligible enty) · $201,884; New or Expansion Projects – Bonus funding (any eligible enty) · $162,411; New or Expansion Projects – DV Bonus funding (any eligible enty)

Complete applicaons must be submied electronically to the Vermont State Housing Authority - Daniel Blankenship ([email protected]) before 4:00PM Friday, AUGUST 3, 2018.

More informaon on the CoC Program, HEARTH Act, the CoC Interim Rule and the NOFA is available on HUD’s website: hps://www.hudexchange.info/coc

Addional informaon on the VT Coalion to End Homelessness (VT BoS CoC), FFY2018 CoC Program RFP, CoC Project Ranking Policy, CoC Project Scoring Tools (Renewal & New) is available at: hp://helpingtohousevt.org/whatwedo/hud/

Gratude, Daniel Blankenship VT BoS CoC Collaborave Applicant

VERMONT STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY 1 Prospect Street, Montpelier, VT 05602 Direct: (802) 828-0294 * Office: (802) 828-3295 * Fax: (802) 828-2111 Email: [email protected] * Website: www.vsha.org https://just26.justhost.com:2096/cpsess7189273738/3rdparty/roundcube/?_task=mail&_safe=1&_uid=251175&_mbox=INBOX&_action=print&_extwin=1 1/2 7/11/2018 Roundcube Webmail :: Summer Meal Program

This email was sent to [email protected] why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences Vermont Housing Managers Association · 88 King Street · Burlington, Vt 05401 · USA

https://just26.justhost.com:2096/cpsess7189273738/3rdparty/roundcube/?_task=mail&_safe=1&_uid=485&_mbox=INBOX.Newsletter&_action=print&… 2/3 7/11/2018 Roundcube Webmail :: VHFA seeks Executive Director applicants

Subject VHFA seeks Executive Director applicants From VHFA News Sender VHFA News To Erhard Mahake Date 2018-07-04 11:03 AM

Housing news from VHFA View this email in your browser

VHFA News Housing news from Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA)

VHFA seeks Executive Director applicants Posted by: Leslie Black-Plumeau Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), located in Burlington VT, is seeking an Executive Director who will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Agency and as such directs and administers all programs, operations, and activities, and oversees the organization of the staff and departments. The Executive Director serves at the pleasure of the Board of Commissioners and performs such duties and functions as they may prescribe, as well as fulfilling the role of Secretary of the Agency.

VHFA strives to be a housing resource for all of Vermont and this position is expected to provide the leadership to achieve that goal. The Executive Director will focus on three primary areas:

Advocacy and development of the housing finance industry. Works within Vermont and nationally with a variety of key public and private partners to develop policies and programs to promote sustainable housing opportunities for low and moderate income Vermonters, and supports the vitality and economic development of Vermont communities. https://just26.justhost.com:2096/cpsess7189273738/3rdparty/roundcube/?_task=mail&_safe=0&_uid=486&_mbox=INBOX.Newsletter&_action=print&… 1/3 7/11/2018 Roundcube Webmail :: VHFA seeks Executive Director applicants Financing and development of affordable housing stock. Formulates specific housing program goals, financial objectives and priorities to encourage the investment of private capital and housing tax credits to stimulate the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing, and the purchase and sale of existing homes throughout the State through the use of public financing. Internal and external leadership. Represents the Agency before public and industry groups, the State Legislature and its committees, and individuals involved with VHFA in any capacity. Works closely with Vermont's congressional delegation to promote the availability of federal housing programs to serve Vermonters.

Named a "Best Small/Medium Place to Work in Vermont" in 2016, 2017 and 2018, VHFA offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits. This posting and a summary of benefits is available at www.vhfa.org/careers. Please send cover letter, resume and references to [email protected] by 4:00 pm, August 1, 2018. Position will be open until filled.

VHFA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workplace. We highly encourage women, persons with disabilities, and people from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to apply.

View online | Add a comment ≫

Share Tweet Forward

Our mailing address is: Vermont Housing Finance Agency https://just26.justhost.com:2096/cpsess7189273738/3rdparty/roundcube/?_task=mail&_safe=0&_uid=486&_mbox=INBOX.Newsletter&_action=print&… 2/3 Careers

JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST DETAILS APPLICATIONS | CALENDAR | NEWS | PORTAL

SEARCH MAKE A GIFT

HOME GET A HOME PROGRAMS LEARN MORE GET INVOLVED

ABOUT US

Home | About Us | Careers

Management Team

Board of Directors CAREERS History MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN Awards Career Opportunity Careers Join Champlain Housing Trust’s Property Management team in Contact Burlington and use your building maintenance and customer service skills to serve the affordable housing needs of a diverse group of people. Perform a variety of tasks including painting, cleaning, light maintenance, grounds Success maintenance and snow removal. Experience in light carpentry, plumbing, electrical, and grounds maintenance are required. The ideal candidate will also exhibit a positive attitude, Stories be self-motivated, work independently and as part of a team, be prevention-minded and committed to a membership-based model of community controlled and permanently Read about how affordable housing. Reliable transportation and criminal background check are required. successful these members have been! One of Vermont’s Best Places to Work in 2018, CHT is a socially responsible employer offering an inclusive, friendly work environment and competitive pay commensurate with experience. Our excellent benefit package includes a generous health insurance plan, three weeks of paid vacation, 14 paid holidays, sick leave, 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution after one year, disability and life insurance and more. Submit a cover letter and resume to Human Resources, Champlain Housing Trust, 88 King Street, Burlington, VT 05401 or email [email protected]. No phone calls, please. Raising The Bar

ALL SUCCESS STORIES GUEST & RESIDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR HopeBuilders Career Opportunity

http://www.getahome.org/about/careers[7/11/2018 2:15:06 AM] Careers

Breakfast Use your passion for helping people, outstanding interpersonal skills, and knowledge of local housing and social programs to connect our guests and residents with critical services Attend one of our that will help stabilize their lives. This newly created position will support guests at Harbor informational Place and residents at other sites who are temporarily or chronically homeless or at risk of HopeBuilders breakfasts becoming homeless. to learn more about the Champlain Housing Trust The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, have a positive attitude, excellent people and and the affordable housing communication skills, and exercise sound judgment. This individual will also possess a work we do in minimum of a BA in Social Work or a related field (an MSW is preferred), and at least 3 northwestern Vermont. years of experience working with at-risk populations and knowledge of local housing and social programs.

One of Vermont’s Best Places to Work in 2018, CHT is a socially responsible employer offering an inclusive, friendly work environment and competitive pay commensurate with experience. Our excellent benefit package includes a generous health insurance plan, three weeks of paid vacation, 14 paid holidays, sick leave, 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution after one year, disability and life insurance and more. Submit a cover letter and LEARN MORE resume by July 20, 2018 to Human Resources, Champlain Housing Trust, 88 King Street, Burlington, VT 05401 or email [email protected]. No phone calls, please.

Equal Opportunity Employer - CHT is committed to a diverse workplace and highly encourages women, persons with disabilities, Section 3 residents, and people from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to apply.

88 King Street GET A FORMS JOIN OUR Burlington, VT 05401 NMLS ID# 179570 HOME PUBLICATIONS EMAIL LIST

13 Lake Street PROGRAMS ABOUT Join our email list and stay St. Albans, VT 05478 connected. Get the latest NMLS ID# 184793 LEARN CONTACT on all the news, events, MORE and updates! GET JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST INVOLVED

http://www.getahome.org/about/careers[7/11/2018 2:15:06 AM] Vermont Housing and Conservation Board awards $6.5 millions to preservation - VTDigger

VERMONT PRESS RELEASES

Vermont Housing and Conservation Board awards $6.5 millions to preservation

By Press Release Jul 1 2018

j s f k

News Release — Vermont Housing and Conservation Board June 27, 2018

Contact: Gus Seelig 828-3251 [email protected]

VHCB Awards $6.5 Million to Preserve and Rehabilitate Affordable Housing and to Conserve Farmland, Recreational Lands and Natural Areas in 14 Towns

On Thursday, June 21, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board awarded $6,594,615 for housing developments that will help to build or rehabilitate 59 affordable homes and conserve 1,050 acres of farmland and 146 acres of recreational and forest land.

Bristol – Housing Vermont will purchase and rehabilitate Bristol Family Housing, nine two- and three-bedroom apartments on a 25-acre site on the edge of town using $250,000 in VHCB funds, $90,000 in federal HOME Program funding, and $705,000 in National Housing Trust Funds. Rehabilitation will address deferred maintenance, increase energy efficiency and improve accessibility. A small office will be added for on-site property management functions.

Derby – Rural Edge will rehabilitate and refinance 23 apartments in three historic buildings in Derby using $333,094 in VHCB funds and $358,411 in federal National Housing Trust funds. Fifteen of the apartments have rental assistance from USDA Rural Development and the Vermont State Housing Authority.

STATEWIDE – Habitat for Humanity Chapters around the state will use $199,500 in Housing Revenue Bond funding and $279,300 in VHCB funds to build 12 homes over a two-year period, providing down payment grants of $30,000 per home (up to $34,000 for high performance, energy efficient homes).

The Board also recapitalized funding for home access improvements to 45-50 homes be undertaken by the Vermont Center for https://vtdigger.org/2018/07/01/vermont-housing-conservation-board-awards-6-5-millions-preservation/[7/11/2018 1:14:23 AM] Vermont Housing and Conservation Board awards $6.5 millions to preservation - VTDigger

Independent Living ($445,000) and shared equity homeownership grants to 12 home buyers working with community land trusts and Home Ownership Centers ($600,000).

Eight farms, located in Addison, Caledonia, Windham, Franklin, Lamoille, and Orange counties will be conserved by the Vermont Land Trust, using $1,522,000 in VHCB funding and $1,609,000 in matching funds from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The farms include dairy farms and diversified operations raising livestock and producing crops, maple syrup, and other agricultural commodities. Conservation will help the owners to expand, diversify, reduce debt, and, in the case of four farms, help the owners transfer their farms to the next generation. Easement conditions will reduce runoff, improving water quality, and protect an archaeological site. The Vermont Land Trust will undertake private and local fundraising to complete the conservation projects.

Burlington – The Winooski Valley Park District and Lake Champlain Land Trust will use $185,000 in VHCB funds to acquire and conserve 2.4 acres with 1,000 feet of frontage at the mouth of the Winooski River. A residential lot in the floodplain will be transformed into a public park with fishing, canoe and kayak access, and walking trails while also restoring natural vegetation in this ecologically rich riparian zone. Other fundraising will be required to complete the project budget. The land is one-quarter mile from the Burlington bike path, adjacent to conserved land on Derway Island and Half Moon Cove and across the river from Colchester Point.

Woodford – Seven miles east of Bennington along Route 9, the Prospect Mountain Association will acquire and conserve 144 acres of forest and recreation land using $285,000 in VHCB funding and other sources. Nearly 18 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, a base lodge and outbuildings will be maintained by the non-profit group as a community ski area. The Mount Anthony Union High School and Williams College ski teams use the high elevation trails, in addition to thousands of other skiers from Vermont and beyond. Surrounded by National Forest, the mountain is part of a vast area of connected forestland providing important habitat for many species, including bear. Prospect Mountain Association is working with the Vermont Land Trust to raise $265,000 in additional funding to secure this popular recreational resource and expand year-round public use to include hiking, biking and special events, contributing to the local economy.

Bennington County Senator Dick Sears said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for the southwestern corner of Vermont. It provides wonderful recreational opportunities for residents and tourists. I am delighted to support the great work of Bennington residents in making this project happen.”

Filed under: VERMONT PRESS RELEASES Tags: affordable housing, conservation, farmland, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

[ REPORT AN ERROR ] [ UPLOAD A DOCUMENT ][ TIP DROP ] About Press Releases VTDigger.org posts press releases as a way of providing readers with information directly from businesses, state agencies, political organizations and nonprofits. We do not edit or rewrite press releases. We allow readers to comment on releases, and we encourage readers to contact the originator of a given release for more information.

Email: [email protected]

Latest Press Releases

New legislation affects short-term rental operators

Essex County to offer expungement days

https://vtdigger.org/2018/07/01/vermont-housing-conservation-board-awards-6-5-millions-preservation/[7/11/2018 1:14:23 AM] Lakeview Mobile Home Park in Shelburne to Be Sold | Off Message

TICKETS | SUPER READERS | BEST OF VERMONT | WHAT'S GOOD | TOURISM Search:

VERMONT'S INDEPENDENT VOICE

NEWS+OPINION ARTS+LIFE HOME+DESIGN FOOD CANNABIS MUSIC MOVIES EVENTS JOBS

CLASSIFIEDS PERSONALS

SPECIAL REPORT GIVE AND TAKE: EXAMINING VERMONT'S NONPROFITS READ THE SERIES »

more on news Leahy: Trump's Supreme Archives | RSS Court Pick 'More Than Frightening' Tweet Pin It Email Print Favorite Share by Taylor Dobbs

FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 Contract Talks Yield No Breakthrough for Nurses, NEWS UVM Medical Center Lakeview Mobile Home Park in by Sara Tabin UVM Medical Center Seeks Shelburne to Be Sold to Hire Hundreds in POSTED BY SARA TABIN ON FRI, JUN 29, 2018 AT 6:31 PM Advance of Strike by Taylor Dobbs

MORE NEWS »

vermont jobs

latest in off message UVM Medical Center Cancels Some Surgeries Ahead of Planned Nurses' Strike by Sara Tabin

Leahy: Trump's Supreme Court Pick 'More Than Frightening' by Taylor Dobbs

Contract Talks Yield No Breakthrough for Nurses, UVM Medical Center by Sara Tabin Lakeview Mobile Home Park MATTHEW ROY

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2018/06/29/lakeview-mobile-home-park-in-shelburne-to-be-sold[7/11/2018 1:32:02 AM] Lakeview Mobile Home Park in Shelburne to Be Sold | Off Message

Residents of Lakeview Mobile Home Park in Shelburne got a letter MORE » Wednesday from park owner Trey Pecor informing them that the property will be sold. Now they must quickly decide if they want to buy the park and turn it into a co-op.

“We are all kind of reeling here,” said retiree Chris Pratt. He had intended to live in the park until he dies, he wrote in an email to Seven Days.

Under Vermont law, mobile home residents have the right of first refusal if an owner decides to sell, and they are given 45 days to consider the purchase. Lakeview’s residents have a few extra days since the state has not yet received notice via certified mail, according to Arthur Hamlin, the state’s housing program coordinator for mobile home parks. If the occupants choose to make the purchase, they have an additional 120 days to appraise the land and negotiate with the owner.

The asking price for the 7.4-acre park, which has 64 units: $2.4 million. The property is off busy Shelburne Road. Residents of the mobile homes keep their lawns trimmed, and they enjoy views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.

Pratt’s dream of living out his golden years there is likely still safe, according to Hamlin. He explained that if the owners plan to close the park, they must specify that intent in their notification letter. Pecor’s letter states that the park will not close.

“My understanding from talking to the owners is that they want to sell [Lakeview] to stay operating as an affordable mobile home park,” said Hamlin.

Turning mobile parks into co-ops is not uncommon in Vermont, according to Hamlin. Residents of Farrington's Mobile Home Park in Burlington reached a deal to buy the place for $5 million in 2015 when it went up for sale.

In the coming weeks, Hamlin plans to invite Lakeview residents to meet with nonprofit organizers, including those in the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, to make sure residents understand their rights and the resources available.

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2018/06/29/lakeview-mobile-home-park-in-shelburne-to-be-sold[7/11/2018 1:32:02 AM] Lakeview Mobile Home Park in Shelburne to Be Sold | Off Message

Pratt said residents have begun organizing to gauge whether a majority want to buy. If they do, residents will pay down a mortgage each month instead of paying rent. If the park becomes a co-op, residents will have to grapple with infrastructure problems, according to Pratt.

“If we buy the park from Pecor, then we own it," he said. "That means we are subject to all the infrastructure stuff that has not been dealt with or has been done in a half-assed way. I was building a deck, and when I put the shovel in the ground, I hit an old septic line.”

Hamlin said organizations such as the Vermont Cooperative Development Institute provide funds to help residents pay for inspections, and that the results can influence sales negotiations.

If residents decide not to purchase the park, Pecor would be allowed to sell to other buyers. However, if the asking price were lowered more than 5 percent of what residents were offered, they would get another 45 days to decide if they want to buy the park at the reduced price.

Pecor declined to comment.

Lakeview Mobile Home Park MATTHEW ROY

Tags: housing, mobile homes, Trey Pecor, Lakeview Got something to say? Mobile Home Park, Image Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!

https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2018/06/29/lakeview-mobile-home-park-in-shelburne-to-be-sold[7/11/2018 1:32:02 AM] Putnam developers close in on financing goal | The Bennington Banner | Bennington Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic

SUBSCRIBE   Try four weeks for 99 cents

Read our e-Edition

SEARCH LOGIN BENNINGTON, VT. WED., JUL. 11, 2018 64.0°, A FEW CLOUDS FORECAST

News Sports Entertainment Lifestyles Sandy Casey Scholarship Opinion Obituaries

Publications Marketplace Subscriber Services Putnam developers close in on financing goal

https://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/putnam-developers-close-in-on-financing-goal,543596[7/11/2018 1:45:35 AM] Putnam developers close in on financing goal | The Bennington Banner | Bennington Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic

The development group planning the Putnam Block project says a $27.6 million financing package for the project's first phase is nearly complete, and the goal is for a fall groundbreaking. Meanwhile, many residents have expressed concern about recent project delays, some shabby exterior sections and several empty storefronts in three historic structures to be renovated and restored. JIM THERRIEN - BANNER/VTDIGGER

Posted Friday, June 29, 2018 6:57 pm

By Jim Therrien, Banner/VTDigger BENNINGTON — Developers of the Putnam Block say they're closing in on a $27.6 million financing package needed to launch Phase 1 of the massive downtown revival project in the fall.

The Bennington Redevelopment Group, a consortium of local institutions, businesses and individual investors, had eyed a fall 2017 groundbreaking for the two-phase $54 million project, which involves six buildings over four acres at the historic Four Corners intersection of Routes 7 and 9.

However, that date went by, as did a projected spring construction start, with several storefronts in three historic structures at the intersection now standing empty. The lack of progress has prompted speculation that the project could fail — dragging down Bennington's hopes for a major downtown economic stimulus.

But that is not the reality, said Bill Colvin, of the Bennington County Regional Commission, the local point-person for the Putnam Block effort. https://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/putnam-developers-close-in-on-financing-goal,543596[7/11/2018 1:45:35 AM] Putnam developers close in on financing goal | The Bennington Banner | Bennington Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic

A significant piece of the financing package recently fell into place, Colvin said Friday, when Vermont Rural Ventures, which deploys New Market Tax Credits to projects in the region, increased the amount allocated to the Putnam project by $7.6 million — to "a record amount of $15.6 million of allocation."

Additionally, he said, Vermont Rural Ventures put the project "into its pipeline with a `high rating' designation."

Complex package

Colvin said the complex financing package — now including 17 funding sources that have been secured, for a total of $25.6 million — needs less than $2 million more before the closings can begin over the summer.

He said the major investors are pursuing several sources to close that gap and are confident the project will come to fruition.

"The group is fully committed," he said. "We are moving forward."

Bennington Redevelopment Group consists of Southwestern Vermont Health Care, Bennington College, Southern Vermont College, the Bank of Bennington, Dimitri Garder and Global Z International; 4 Putt Properties, LLC; M&S Development, and a number of individual investors from the community.

"We are thrilled to have secured the New Market Tax Credits needed for the project," said James Brown, president and CEO of the Bank of Bennington. "We are now exploring every option to close the final funding gap. We are confident that we will be able to do so and begin construction."

Colvin said about 35 potential investors met with BRG representatives recently to discuss investment options to support the project.

Sources being pursued, he said, include additional tax credit support to add to the New Market, Historic Preservation, state downtown development tax credits; earmarked donations to the hospital or other institutions in the group that will provide the donor with a charitable tax credit while providing equity toward the project; and investment by individuals.

Concerning the latter, Colvin said the BRG is seeking investments of $25,000 or more for preferred project shares and offering approximately 3 percent annually and the return of the original investment amount when the project is refinanced at the end of the tax credit period — from seven to 10 years.

At this point, funding for the financing package comes from the major partners, a bank loan; Vermont Community Development and Housing and Conservation Board funding; federal EPA environmental testing funds; historic preservation and new market tax credits; brownfield loan funds; town of Bennington revolving loan funding, and other sources.

205,000 square feet

The project's first phase focuses on three historic buildings, the former Hotel Putnam, the Old Courthouse or Pennysaver building, and the Winslow Block.

That work would constitute slightly less than half the entire proposed 205,000-square-foot Putnam Block redevelopment space. Phase 1 is expected to include approximately 26,000 square feet of retail/restaurant and 7,000

square feet of office, along with five two-bedroom apartments and 24 one-bedroom apartments.

A significant percentage of the leasing commitment for Phase 1 is coming Putnam project partners and other investors, Colvin has said.

The Phase 2 parcels now include a former hardware store and lumber yard, a gas station-convenience store and a large parking lot — all located to the west of the former hotel and bordering on Washington Avenue to the west, Franklin Lane to the south, and Main Street to the north.

Plans for that phase include a medical building, a commercial building with a grocery, townhouse units and open spaces.

Putnam Block's major investors say they recognized several years ago that Bennington must develop a vibrant downtown in order to attract and retain residents, both for the community and for their businesses and institutions. And that securing an adequate return on investment for private development in an aging downtown district is a daunting proposition.

Without an attractive downtown, companies have trouble recruiting new staff members, they said, and the residential colleges realize that both students and faculty members want to see activity downtown.

Information on the Putnam project is available at http://putnamblock.com/

Jim Therrien writes for New England Newspapers in Southern Vermont and VTDigger.org. @BB_therrien on Twitter.

PRINT Tweet Share

TALK TO US

If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.

OTHER ITEMS THAT MAY INTEREST YOU State has water line funding but hopes Saint-Gobain will step in A new home for Pownal meetings? Top horse trainer instructs riders at Pownal farm CBD shop to open at Four Corners

https://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/putnam-developers-close-in-on-financing-goal,543596[7/11/2018 1:45:35 AM] Depot Square Buyers Welcome Challenge | News | caledonianrecord.com

FEATURED

Depot Square Buyers Welcome Challenge

Housing Vermont Brings Experience To Town; Plans $10 Million Rehab of Low Income Apartments

Amy Ash Nixon Jun 28, 2018 0

WINDSOR — Housing Vermont - an agency formed in 1988 to develop permanent, affordable housing across Vermont - recently agreed to purchase the Depot Square apartment building in downtown St. Johnsbury.

It’s not the the non-profit’s first foray into low-income housing re-development.

About a decade ago, Housing Vermont spearheaded the purchase and rehabilitation of Armory Square Apartments in downtown Windsor.

The building - named Union Square Apartments but commonly referred to as “the block” - was a low- income housing apartment complex viewed as a major stumbling block to downtown development at the time it changed hands.

Nancy Owens, president of Housing Vermont, said Depot Square Apartments first came on the agency’s radar a few years ago when Housing Vermont took part in the community visit process to St. Johnsbury with the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD).

When Owens participated in the brainstorming sessions in St. Johnsbury, she said the way Depot Square was seen in St. Johnsbury sounded much the same as how Armory Square was perceived

http://www.caledonianrecord.com/news/depot-square-buyers-welcome-challenge/article_2da9017b-3e8d-5954-bc6e-c71750fc3654.html[7/11/2018 1:29:17 AM] Depot Square Buyers Welcome Challenge | News | caledonianrecord.com

years ago in Windsor.

“There are a lot of similarities,” said Owens. The buildings even had the same owner at the time Housing Vermont arrived.

Housing Vermont is purchasing the building from long-time owner Herb G. Berezin and his Massachusetts-based company, Mt. Holyoke Management for $1,850,000. Housing Vermont says it’s scheduled to take ownership of the building on or before July 30. The property is assessed by the town at $1,252,600. According to town records, Berezin has owned the properly for over 25 years.

The conversations around how to improve St. Johnsbury’s downtown often came back to Depot Square, ” … We want to do this, but until (Depot Square) is cleaned up, we can’t do it,” she said.

Like Armory Square was in the past, Depot Square sees frequent police and ambulance calls and is a drain on the emergency system in St. Johnsbury.

“I don’t think that Depot Square is quite as much of a public nuisance,” as Armory Square was before it was rehabbed, said Owens. “Armory Square was really bad. There were a lot of police calls there, a lot of fire calls… this was the story down in Windsor. It had a really big impact on the public services, and other challenges.”

Owens said of Armory Square, “People had concerns about people that were living there, kids being in the building, it was not a safe environment.”

The Windsor Police Department reported more than 350 calls a year to the old Armory Square before the housing agency acquired the property and transformed it, according to Housing Vermont.

“It’s a similarly great building, this big, historical building right in the heart of downtown Windsor,” said Owens, referring to the importance and critical downtown location occupied by St. Johnsbury’s Depot Square Apartments.

Owens said the ribbon-cutting for the restored, reinvented Armory Square in Windsor was in December of 2009.

“And so here we are, almost 10 years later, and the property is no longer a problem and hasn’t been all this time for the community … In fact, I think it’s just the opposite,” said Owens. “It’s seen as a good place to live. The residents there are safe. We did some things there that I think we hope to do

at Depot Square.”

Owens said, “The one thing that we did right away is we reduced the overall number of apartments in the building, and similarly that’s one of our expectations at Depot.”

At Armory Square, there were more than 70 units and the number was reduced to about 55, said Owens.

At Depot, there are 47 units at present, and the plan is to cut that number to between 35 and 40.

Residents were relocated in Windsor, as they are planned to be in St. Johnsbury (with the agency covering their costs).

Most people don’t return to their earlier housing after being resettled, said Owens.

In the case of Armory Square, none of the about 100 tenants who live there today were there a decade ago.

“We reduced the density, people were crowded, and like Depot, there wasn’t any real community space inside the building,” said Owens. “We built some nice space on the ground floor for residents to have places for meetings or events. We have a program that we work on with the local hospital,” on nutrition events and more.

At Depot Square, Housing Vermont plans to likewise reduce the density, “and give people a little more space in the building, better amenities, laundry, a community kitchen, community programming events … quality of life issues,” said Owens.

Summit Management, which manages the St. Johnsbury House, will manage the reinvented Depot Square after the rehab project, said Owens.

“We are going to be more present,” she said of the day-to-day management of Depot Square, which will likely have a new name by the time of a ribbon-cutting after the renovations are complete here. “One of the things that we try to do with our properties is to have more focus on positive outcomes, not only providing an affordable home, but also quality access to opportunities and to things that will enhance their lives. We have relationships with and engage with social service agencies.”

Housing Vermont works to bring health and wellness programs to tenants, and community programs

for children living in their properties, including mentoring opportunities, said Owens.

“We approach the management of the properties as more than making sure the lights are on, and the bills are paid, and the residents are making the rent, but also trying to enhance and create very real community as part of the transformation,” said Owens.

Housing Vermont was founded almost 30 years ago through the state’s Housing Finance Agency, using a tax credit program to create a lasting stock of better cared for affordable housing across the state.

Since then, Housing Vermont has gone on to develop “close to 200 properties,” said Owens, “We have about 6,000 apartments in total. We develop properties typically in partnership with a local entity… we co-own them together.”

The Housing Vermont project in Windsor was about a $10 million construction contract, said Owens.

Housing Vermont says once the deal is complete the residential portion of the building will be operated as is for 12 to 24 months.

The redevelopment of the building is then expected to take another year.

Depot Square is being bought for $1,850,000. Renovations could cost as much as $8-10 million.

Unlike the housing block in Windsor, Depot Square in St. Johnsbury has retail space on the ground level, on both Railroad Street and Eastern Avenue.

Looking Back in Windsor

Bob Haight, an architect in Windsor and the town’s zoning administrator, has had his hand in downtown efforts for many years.

Downtown Windsor has its fair share of empty retail, scruffy looking buildings and long-ago shuttered industrial properties where there were thousands of jobs in the town’s heyday; Goodyear alone employed more than 3,000, and closed suddenly in the 1980s, not giving notice to workers, he said, sitting in his River Street office on Monday morning.

Main Street is dotted with typical New England history, many old homes, a cemetery and a few

churches right in the center.

There have been a number of projects to improve the town, including $1 million invested in infrastructure the past few years, said Haight.

The dream for retail to come back downtown is gone, he said.

Haight said the town is rediscovering itself as a bedroom community with great housing stock that’s pretty affordable, a nice mix of restaurants and an evolving, exciting music scene.

The renovations of Armory Square came a number of years after Haight persuaded local officials to add onto the town’s elementary school to make the school a K-12 school, instead of building a high school out of town. He said that step was good for downtown; he was the architect for the plans.

Haight owns several downtown properties and has tried to help make improvements in Windsor personally. He sees the town’s potential.

An old building he owns on a property the railroad used to own is hosting a play this month, for example.

“It’s a cool building; it was built as the Community Farmers Exchange building in the early 30s,” he said.

About five years ago, Haight was asked to come to St. Johnsbury and offer some ideas for the downtown sidewalk project, he said. He remembers the Depot Square Building.

The fact that Depot Square has retail on the ground floor adds another challenge, compared to the straight-housing of the Armory Square building in Windsor, said Haight.

Plus, Depot Square is right on Main Street, while Armory is off Main, noted Haight of how critical the building is for St. Johnsbury’s downtown vision. On a visit to his office Monday, Haight drew out the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Railroad Street from memory on a sheet of paper in his office and asked if there was still a movie theater across from Depot Square’s Eastern Avenue face.

Armory Square had been built as housing for upper level management for some of the industrial plants that once kept Windsor humming with productivity, for Goodyear and the Cone-Blanchard

Machine companies.

Through the years, it went through a series of owners, and fell into disrepair and became a community eyesore — and problem, said Haight.

Of the major rehab to Armory Square, Haight said, “It had to be done.”

The way Windsor is perceived has improved, said Haight.

When Armory Square was rehabbed, a lot of the people that would hang around outside and around the building smoking and sometimes causing trouble left and didn’t come back; the building on Monday was quiet, neat, and impeccable from the outside looking in.

Windsor is not expecting big companies to come back, or retail, and is eyeing instead drawing in small businesses, places that employ 10 or less people, and the town is attracting millennials back, said Haight.

Late Monday morning a woman came out of the apartment building in Windsor, walking her dog, and didn’t want to be interviewed, but said she has lived there about four years, and knows it was a tough place before. “It’s nice now,” she said.

Pam Hodgdon, who sells jewelry and cleans houses for a living, grew up in Windsor. She also lives within ear shot of Armory Square. She said on Monday, “I don’t see people hanging out like you used to, it’s quiet now. It used be you’d hear people yelling ‘Hey b****,’” at all hours. She said when she was growing up, the building was nice, and then it got worse and worse over time.

“There were a lot of problems, drugs there,” she said. She’s grateful Housing Vermont came in and cleaned it up, she said.

Robert Marsters, of Claremont, N.H., lived in Windsor for 30 years, but now lives in Claremont, which is not far away. He was coming out of the credit union on Monday morning and said he remembers when the building was really rough, and home to a lot of families of inmates at the local prison.

“There were a lot of low lifes there, I don’t mean to say it like that, but back in the day it was a lot of prison wives,” he said. “I guess it’s been fairly good since,” it was fixed up, he said.

Gina Wenz, who has run a downtown store for many years on Main Street — Friends & Company —

said on that the apartment block is “much cleaner and quieter, helping downtown.

“The police used to be called to the site often,” she said.

0 0 1 0 0

Tags Depot Square Building Building Industry Commerce Economics Building Nancy Owens Windsor St. Johnsbury House Housing Vermont Bob Haight Company

(0) COMMENTS

Welcome to the discussion.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

2017 Best of the Kingdom

It's the 2017 Best of the Kingdom! View the different sections to read all about the best that The Northeast Kingdom has to offer!

2017 Best of the Kingdom - Outdoor & Recreation

http://www.caledonianrecord.com/news/depot-square-buyers-welcome-challenge/article_2da9017b-3e8d-5954-bc6e-c71750fc3654.html[7/11/2018 1:29:17 AM] Thriving Communities Weekly Round Up | Thriving Communities

About Thriving Communities News-Blogs Resources & Links to Articles of Interest

Contact Campaign Partners Internships/Volunteer Opportunities

Get an email when we put up a new blog post:

Thriving Communities Weekly Round Up

June 27, 2018 affordable housing, cohousing, fair housing, housing development, weekly round up Jess Hyman

A sampling of housing news and opinion from around Vermont and beyond

Preservation Trust of Vermont Awards

The Preservation Trust of Vermont recognized 10 people and projects with awards at the Preservation and Downtown Conference in Bristol this month. Awardees include:

http://www.thrivingcommunitiesvt.org/1570/[7/11/2018 3:49:50 AM] Thriving Communities Weekly Round Up | Thriving Communities

Lamoille Housing Partnership for its efforts to turn a closed department store building into a mixed use space with first floor commercial space and upper floor residential apartments and businesses. The final project addresses the dual need for affordable housing and a vibrant community center. The 18 apartments are rented by low to moderate income Vermonters, including some who have been previously homeless. Black Cap Lamoillle Housing Partnership Photo Coffee and Pizza On Main occupy the two commercial spaces and provide jobs to two dozen local workers.

The Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) for its redesign and expansion of the Colodny building, former home to Vermont’s first supermarket and later, Burlington College, to house a new Day Station, offices, programs that had previously been scattered around the Burlington area, and 14 permanent affordable housing units. Bristol Village Cohousing for transforming three deteriorating 19th century homes into 14 units of housing, plus five small cottages on the rear of the property and a new triplex. This “community within a community” enhances Bristol’s historic character by creating density downtown, preserving and restoring a late 19th century streetscape, and showcasing modern strategies for energy efficiency.

Learn about all 10 awardees here: http://ptvermont.org/cat/what/awards/awards- 2018/

St. Johnsbury to Invest Nearly $1m in Housing Project

Officials in St. Johnsbury have decided to use nearly $1 million in state housing funds toward the purchase an apartment complex for the Depot Square housing project. The town will use about $989,000 in state funds to help Burlington-based nonprofit Housing Vermont purchase the property. Officials hope the apartment complex will help spur a larger revitalization project for the downtown area. Learn more here: http://www.wcax.com/content/news/St-Johnsbury-to-invest-nearly-1M-in-housing- project-486579731.html

http://www.thrivingcommunitiesvt.org/1570/[7/11/2018 3:49:50 AM] Windham and Windsor Housing Trust celebrates new apartments - VTDigger

VERMONT PRESS RELEASES

Windham and Windsor Housing Trust celebrates new apartments

By Press Release Jun 26 2018

2 2 j s f k o SHARES

News Release — Windham and Windsor Housing Trust June 22, 2018

Press Contacts: Elizabeth Bridgewater [email protected] 802-246-2109

Gus Seelig [email protected] 802-828-3251

Sheila A. Reed [email protected] 802-748-9269

Brattleboro, Vt. – Today, Representatives from Senator Sanders, Senator Leahy, and Congressman Welch’s office joined residents and staff from Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) to celebrate the opening of WWHT’s 22 permanent supportive housing apartments known as Great River Terrace. The event included a tour of the efficiency apartments as well as the community building, which will host a bevy of services for residents and community members throughout the year.

Great River Terrace is located on Putney Road at the site of the former Lamplighter Inn and was designed by Brattleboro architects, Stevens & Associates and built by GPI Construction, also located in Brattleboro. WWHT is working with Groundworks Collaborative and Health Care and Rehabilitation Services (HCRS) to provide support and services to the residents to help them stabilize their lives. Residency will be given to the most vulnerable in the community via a locally coordinated entry system of care, which is meant to streamline the process to find housing for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Groundworks will provide support services that will focus on some of the day to day needs of each resident through the work of a full-time on site case manager. HCRS will provide mental health services through a part-time on site case manager and WWHT will provide a part- time housing support coordinator to organize group resident activities and programs.

https://vtdigger.org/2018/06/26/windham-windsor-housing-trust-celebrates-new-apartments/[7/11/2018 2:40:53 AM] Windham and Windsor Housing Trust celebrates new apartments - VTDigger

“At the same time the buildings have been constructed, we’ve been constructing a solid approach to welcoming residents and providing them with coordinated support through the deep level of collaboration that has developed between WWHT, GroundWorks and HCRS,” said Elizabeth Bridgewater, WWHT’s Executive Director. “It’s inspiring to be a part of a project that will have so much impact in how people choose to live their lives and, because of the breadth of the project, none of this would be possible without the mix of private, state and federal funding.”

Funding totaling over $4 million from numerous sources was raised to cover the total development costs. A large portion of the funding came from Passumpsic Bank, whose investments totaled more than $2 million. “Passumpsic Bank was drawn to the Great River Terrace project as we were impressed by Windham & Windsor Housing Trust’s commitment to educating tenants on sustainable principles of home ownership in order to help move their communities forward,” said bank President Jim Kisch. “The project goes farther than housing the homeless in the community by addressing the crisis at its core and WWHT and Passumpsic Bank’s goals intersected at this amazing project.

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board committed $450,000 in proceeds from the Housing Revenue Bond to the development, as well as $458,000 in federal HOME Program funds, and $642,460 in federal National Housing Trust funds.

Executive Director Gus Seelig said, “We thank Senator Sanders for his leadership in creating the National Housing Trust Fund. Based largely on the success of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Trust Fund, it provides Vermont with $3 million each year to fund affordable housing for extremely low-income individuals and families. Vermont is among the first states in the country to commit these funds—and Brattleboro, Poultney, and Putney are the first towns in Vermont to open new and rehabilitated housing developments using this funding source. We thank Governor Scott, who proposed the Housing Revenue Bond, and we appreciate the great local partnership between Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, Groundworks Collaborative, and HCRS in developing Great River Terrace. ”

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) first introduced legislation to create the National Housing Trust Fund in 2001 when he was in the US House of Representatives. After a 15-year effort, in 2016, the NHTF became the first new federal affordable housing program in several decades.

“At a time when far too many Vermonters either face or are at risk of homelessness, we desperately need to provide more supportive housing options for the most vulnerable people in our state,” the Senator said via email. “I applaud Windham & Windsor Housing Trust for developing the Great River Terrace project that will allow Vermonters struggling with complex challenges to live with stability and dignity.”

The National Housing Trust Fund was created to focus housing resources for extremely low-income Americans, those whose income is below 30% of median. Half the apartments at Great River Terrace are designed to meet the needs of this population with both affordable rents and coordinated support services.

Other sources of funds included the Vermont Community Development Program, Efficiency VT, WRCP Solar Fund, and NeighborWorks America. “We’re so proud of and grateful to Windham & Windsor Housing Trust and Groundworks Collaborative for their bold approach to providing Vermonters in need with the safe and affordable housing they deserve, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said. “I’ve advocated for NeighborWorks funding through the appropriations process because I know, at the end of the day, NeighborWorks supports projects like this where housing, coupled with wrap-around services, lifts people in crisis out of poverty, and transforms communities.”

2 2 o SHARES

Filed under: VERMONT PRESS RELEASES Tags: Brattleboro, Windham and Windsor Housing Trust

[ REPORT AN ERROR ] [ UPLOAD A DOCUMENT ][ TIP DROP ]

https://vtdigger.org/2018/06/26/windham-windsor-housing-trust-celebrates-new-apartments/[7/11/2018 2:40:53 AM] Parkview Apartments in Newport receive energy-efficient updates | VHFA.org - Vermont Housing Finance Agency

Prospective Homebuyers Homeowners Rental Housing Community Partners

News

Board of Commissioners Parkview Apartments in Newport receive energy-efficient Meetings updates Joint Committee on Tax Credits Posted by: Mia Watson on June 26, 2018 - 11:32am

Residents of Parkview See posts about... Apartments in Newport celebrated energy-efficient improvements to their apartment complex at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held last week. The $3.1 Subscribe million project was overseen Receive the latest housing by RuralEdge, which owns news from VHFA by email. the twelve affordable units. Email Address The project was supported by Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), First Name which awarded state and federal tax credits as well as a construction loan.

Last Name The renovations include rooftop solar panels, updated heating and cooling systems, new windows and doors, and improved insulation, transforming the complex into one of the most energy-efficient affordable housing developments in the state. Prior to the renovations, the units had electric storage heat, which led to high utility bills. The weatherization and energy upgrades will dramatically reduce heating and cooling costs, making the apartments even more affordable for its low-income tenants.

Residents are also enjoying updated kitchens and bathrooms, a newly paved driveway and parking spaces, and an upcoming update to the neighborhood playground. These renovations bring the complex, originally constructed in 1980, up to modern energy-efficiency, safety, and accessibility standards.

This project also received funding from USDA Rural Development and Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB).

Categories: Energy Multifamily management Ribbon cutting-Ground Breaking

Add New Comment

Your name

https://www.vhfa.org/news/blog/parkview-apartments-newport-receive-energy-efficient-updates[7/11/2018 3:14:15 AM] Lamoille Housing Partnership receives preservation award - VTDigger

VERMONT PRESS RELEASES

Lamoille Housing Partnership receives preservation award

By Press Release Jun 20 2018

1 1 j s f k o SHARES

News Release — Lamoille Housing Partnership June 19, 2018

Contact: Kerrie Lohr [email protected] 802-888-5714 www.lamoillehousing.org

Affordable housing non-profit recognized for Arthur’s on Main project

Burlington, VT, June 8, 2018 — Lamoille Housing Partnership (LHP) recently received a 2018 Preservation Award from the Preservation Trust of Vermont for their Arthur’s on Main project in Morrisville. Preservation Awards are given to individuals and organizations that have made special contributions in preserving Vermont’s historic architecture, downtowns and village centers. The awards were presented at the annual Historic Preservation and Downtown Conference in Bristol on Friday June 8th, 2018.

“It’s great to receive recognition for our work, especially from organizations like the Preservation Trust of Vermont,” says LHP executive director, Jim Lovinsky.

When Arthur and Theresa Breault retired, the four decade-niche that Arthur’s Department Store filled in Morrisville’s economy and downtown area’s vibrancy became empty. “Arthur’s was an iconic landmark for years, important to many folks who share fond memories of Arthur and Theresa – locals’ milestones were marked by shopping at the store for graduations, proms and more,” reflects Lovinsky.

Lamoille Housing Partnership saw the store’s closure as an opportunity to preserve and restore the building to create affordable housing for the community. “Sometimes it is better to build new, but it is equally important to preserve the past for future generations,” explains Lovinsky.

In 2013, LHP partnered with Housing Vermont to purchase Arthur’s Department Store. “We are so proud of the transformation of

https://vtdigger.org/2018/06/20/lamoille-housing-partnership-receives-preservation-award/[7/11/2018 1:51:12 AM] Lamoille Housing Partnership receives preservation award - VTDigger

Arthur’s into 18 beautiful, affordable apartments for our residents, and vibrant commercial space in the heart of downtown Morrisville,” says Housing Vermont’s Vice President of Development, Kathy Beyer.

“When LHP develops downtown residential and commercial to keep our downtowns vibrant, as well as provide affordable housing within easy access to shopping and services,” says Lovinsky. “While we could not save one of the three Arthur’s buildings, we did restore two of the structures, keeping alive the tradition of downtown Morrisville as a great place to live and work.”

The historic property dates back to the 1800’s with an addition built in 1940, and features commercial space as well as several upper floors that had been vacant during the store’s lifetime. Rehabilitation efforts included critical structural improvements, as well as energy efficiency upgrades to optimize the building’s energy use, which also reduces tenants’ utility costs. Currently all of the apartments are rented, and Black Cap Coffee and Pizza On Main lease the commercial spaces. The rental apartments are a critical addition to the area’s supply of affordable housing, and house families and individuals who comprise the local workforce, even some who have been previously homeless. The businesses at the street level collectively provide jobs to two dozen local workers.

Paul Bruhn, Executive Director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont expresses why Arthur’s on Main was selected as a recipient of the Preservation Award: “Some of the toughest redevelopment projects in downtowns across Vermont have been taken on by affordable housing organizations. Redeveloping Arthur’s is a perfect example, and we are very grateful for Lamoille Housing Partnership’s and Housing Vermont’s efforts. It is a big boost for downtown Morrisville!”

The Preservation Trust of Vermont is a statewide organization that supports efforts by nonprofit organizations and communities to save and use historic places that help to define the character of Vermont.

Housing Vermont, a nonprofit syndication and development company founded in 1988, creates permanently affordable rental housing and enables investments in economic and community development to benefit Vermonters through partnerships with local organizations, public agencies and the private sector.

The Lamoille Housing Partnership develops, rehabilitates, and maintains safe, decent, energy efficient affordable housing through rental, home ownership, and other means to low and moderate income persons and families living within Lamoille County and the Town of Hardwick. The Lamoille Housing Partnership provides such assistance without discrimination or prejudice, using a combination of private and public funding partnerships. Learn more at www.lamoillehousing.org.

For additional information, please contact Public Relations manager Kerrie Lohr, [email protected].

1 1 o SHARES

Filed under: VERMONT PRESS RELEASES Tags: Lamoille Housing Partnership

Email: [email protected]

Latest Press Releases

https://vtdigger.org/2018/06/20/lamoille-housing-partnership-receives-preservation-award/[7/11/2018 1:51:12 AM] Heritage Courts senior housing celebrates major renovation | VHFA.org - Vermont Housing Finance Agency

Prospective Homebuyers Homeowners Rental Housing Community Partners

News

Board of Commissioners Heritage Courts senior housing celebrates major Meetings renovation Joint Committee on Tax Credits Posted by: Mia Watson on June 19, 2018 - 9:04am

Residents of Heritage See posts about... Courts in Poultney are celebrating the recent renovation of their apartment complex. The $3.1 million project was managed by the Housing Subscribe Trust of Rutland County, Receive the latest housing which owns the property. news from VHFA by email. The project was funded in Email Address large part by VHFA, which awarded both state and federal tax credits as well as First Name loans. This renovation allows Housing Trust of Rutland County to preserve 17 affordable apartments for seniors while significantly improving the energy-efficiency of the complex. Last Name “We were pleased to be able to assist with the renovation,” remarked VHFA Deputy Director Maura Collins, who attended the project’s open house last week. “Modernization projects like this one are critical for preserving Vermont’s limited supply of affordable, rural rental housing.”

Renovations include a new heating system, improved insulation, replacement windows and doors, roof and siding replacement, and modernization of kitchens with new, energy-efficient appliances. In addition to improving the comfort and appearance of the units, the improvements are expected to yield a 45 percent reduction in operating costs.

The renovation will add a community room, accessible laundry facilities, and a community garden. Housing Trust of Rutland County will also offer SASH® (Support and Services at Home) resources to help residents maintain independence and quality of life.

This project also received funding from Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB), the National Housing Trust Fund, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) HOME program.

Photo from Kate Barcellos, Rutland Herald. Pictured from left: Rosie McManus, resident; Katie Buckley, Commissioner of the VT Department of Housing and Development; Maura Collins, Deputy Director of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency.

https://www.vhfa.org/news/blog/heritage-courts-senior-housing-celebrates-major-renovation[7/11/2018 3:28:33 AM] 7/11/2018 Report highlights affordable housing wage gap | Rutland Herald

Menu  Search … 

Report highlights affordable housing wage gap

Stephen Mills | June 14, 2018

By STEPHEN MILLS STAFF WRITER

BURLINGTON — Affordable rental housing is beyond the reach of the average wage- earning Vermonter, according to a new report by the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition.

Renters need to earn $22.40 an hour or $46,585 annually to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment costing $1,165 a month at the fair market rate, the report said. For a one-bedroom home, a renter would need to earn $17.84 an hour to afford $928 monthly.

The report released Wednesday highlights the difficulty for more than 75,000 renter households in Vermont, which has the fifth-largest affordability gap for renters in the nation.

The annual study, Out of Reach, reports on the housing wage: the hourly wage a worker must earn to afford a safe, decent place to live without spending more than 30 percent of their income. The report said the housing wage was highest in Burlington at $27.73, followed by $20.65 in Windsor County, https://www.rutlandherald.com/articles/report-highlights-affordable-housing-wage-gap/ 1/8 7/11/2018 Report highlights affordable housing wage gap | Rutland Herald $20.46 in Menu  Washington County, $20.21 in Windham County and $19.63 in Addison County.

According to VAHC, the average renter in

The Hickory Street Project, an affordable housing development in Rutland. A recently released report finds that affordable rental housing is becoming more difficult to come by in Vermont. (Robert Layman / Staff Photo)

Vermont earns $12.85 an hour, which is $9.55 less than the hourly wage needed to rent a home and can only afford $668 for housing costs without exceeding the 30 percent of income threshold.

The report said those earning Vermont’s current minimum wage of $10.50 would have to work 1.7 full-time jobs, or 68 hours a week, to afford a modest one-bedroom apartment, and 2.1 full-time jobs or 85 hours a week for a two-bedroom apartment.

The disparity is even greater for someone with a disability living on Supplemental Security Income who can only afford $241 a month, leaving them needing $924 for a two-bedroom apartment or $687 for a one-bedroom rental.

“Seniors and others living on fixed incomes can’t afford housing anywhere in the state without a subsidy,” the report said.

The report also notes that 7 of 10 professions projected to have the highest wage growth over the next decade will have incomes lower than the one-bedroom housing wage. The three wage groups earning more than the two-bedroom ($22.10) and one-bedroom ($17.70) housing wages were general managers ($49.20), software developers ($47.91) and registered nurses ($34.30). All other professions earned less than the median housing wage index.

https://www.rutlandherald.com/articles/report-highlights-affordable-housing-wage-gap/ 2/8 7/11/2018 Report highlights affordable housing wage gap | Rutland Herald “When low-wage workers and people living on fixed incomes pay too much for their housing, they Menu  have too little left over to cover other basic needs and are one paycheck or one major car repair away from eviction and the downward spiral of homelessness,” the report said, calling for more federal and state investment in housing programs.

Congressional leaders were quick to condemn the disparity between wages and rental housing costs that makes finding affordable housing difficult.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the Out of Reach report “puts data behind the stories of Vermonters” who tell him they are struggling to afford rental housing.

“I commend Vermont’s affordable housing leaders who are working tirelessly to help ensure that all Vermonters have access to safe, decent and affordable housing,” Leahy said in a news release. “By investing in housing, we can help families, downtowns and rural communities thrive. This report informs policymakers and local community leaders and helps us all stay focused on this fundamental challenge.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, wrote the report’s preface.

“The affordable housing crisis demands that we think big and act boldly,” Sanders wrote. “We must make a historic and sustained commitment to ensure that every family has an affordable place to live and thrive.”

To see the full Out of Reach report, visit www.nlihc.org/oor/.

[email protected]

https://www.rutlandherald.com/articles/report-highlights-affordable-housing-wage-gap/ 3/8 Study: Affordable housing 'out of reach' for many Vermonters - VTDigger

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Study: Affordable housing ‘out of reach’ for many Vermonters

By Elizabeth Gribkoff Jun 14 2018

525 525 j s f k o SHARES

Two condos for sale by the Champlain Housing Trust in the Colchester Ethan Allen complex, shown on the trust’s website as examples of affordable housing available in VT.

https://vtdigger.org/2018/06/14/study-affordable-housing-reach-many-vermonters/[7/11/2018 3:07:21 AM] Study: Affordable housing 'out of reach' for many Vermonters - VTDigger

Vermonter making minimum wage would need to work 1.7 jobs to afford a one-bedroom rental home or apartment, A according to a report released Wednesday. The National Low Income Housing Coalition, which wrote the report, calculates an annual “housing wage” for each state based on how much a full-time worker would have to make per hour to afford a two-bedroom home at fair market value without spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing.

In no state in the country can a worker earning that state’s minimum wage afford a two-bedroom rental home, and in only 22 out of over 3,000 counties surveyed could a minimum wage worker afford to rent a one-bedroom apartment.

“Make no mistake: while the housing market may have recovered for many, we are nonetheless experiencing an affordable housing crisis, especially for low-income families,” Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote in the report’s preface.

Vermont has a housing wage of $22.40 — the 13th highest in the country. The state also has the fifth largest gap between the average hourly wage renters make, $12.85, and housing wage.

Erhard Mahnke, coordinator of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition, said that those statistics show that although unemployment in Vermont has decreased in the past few years, most of the jobs created have been “lower wage, service sector jobs.”

“We thrive on tourism, but those jobs don’t pay the way old style manufacturing jobs did, where you could earn $60,000 a year with a high school education,” said Mahnke.

Nationally, as the demand for rental housing has increased in the past decade, most rental housing being built is “geared largely toward the high end of the market, due to increasingly high development costs,” according to the report. Federal funding needs to be increased for affordable housing programs like the Housing Trust Fund, which issues block grants to states to to build or upgrade housing, and rental assistance is needed, the authors conclude.

“Rather than address the affordable housing crisis, the (Trump) administration’s proposed spending cuts for FY 2019 would, if enacted, lead to the largest reduction in affordable housing and community development in decades,” said the report.

Vermont should appropriate more state funds to affordable housing by increasing rent subsidies from the Agency of Human Services, according to Mahnke.

“People on fixed incomes can’t live anywhere in Vermont without rental subsidies or other forms of assistance,” said Mahnke. The report found that a Vermonter on Supplemental Social Security Income, for example, could only afford to pay $241 toward rent a month.

The county-by-county comparisons in Vermont show dramatic differences in rental costs around the state. In the Burlington-South Burlington area, the housing wage is $27.73, but that wage drops to $15.21 in Orleans County.

“The rapid increase in rent in our region is shocking,” said Chris Donnelly, communications director of the Champlain Housing Trust, which provides affordable rental housing and pathways to home ownership for residents of Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle County.

Chittenden County currently has a 1.7 percent vacancy rate. New units are expensive and occupied rapidly, according to Donnelly. He added that the high price of newer apartments can cause landlords to increase rents on older units to keep up.

Champlain Housing Trust will build 76 new apartments this summer in Burlington and 60 additional units in South Burlington later in the year thanks to a $37 million bond to VHCB, Donelly said.

Rents are lower in more economically depressed parts of the state like Rutland and the Northeast Kingdom, but available housing can have “serious health concerns” from lead paint and mold, according to Mahnke.

“Those rents cannot support the kinds of renovations that are needed for our older housing stock,” Mahnke said.

https://vtdigger.org/2018/06/14/study-affordable-housing-reach-many-vermonters/[7/11/2018 3:07:21 AM] Study: Affordable housing 'out of reach' for many Vermonters - VTDigger

Vermont towns need to examine their zoning laws to ensure that multi-family dwellings can be built, Mahnke said, which provide “greater value for lower cost.” Often housing developments can run into “not in my backyard” opposition from residents, he said.

Increasing Vermont’s minimum wage would be way to help lower income workers afford rent, Mahnke said. However, the report’s authors cautioned against thinking that increasing minimum wage would be a “silver bullet solution.”

“Wages are a big part of the problem,” said Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, on Wednesday in a press conference about the report. “But even in places where advocates have successfully achieved a minimum wage of upwards of $15 an hour, housing is still out of reach.”

525 525 o SHARES

Filed under: BUSINESS & ECONOMY Tags: Champlain Housing Trust, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

[ REPORT AN ERROR ] [ UPLOAD A DOCUMENT ][ TIP DROP ] About Elizabeth Elizabeth Gribkoff is VTDigger's energy and environment reporter. She graduated from UVM's Environmental Studies program in 2013, receiving departmental honors for her thesis on women's farming networks in Chile and Vermont. Since graduating, Elizabeth has worked in conservation and sustainable agriculture. Most recently, she was a newsroom and reporting intern with VTDigger.

Email: [email protected]