Governor Phil Scott joined Congressman Peter Welch, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and many other supporters to celebrate the opening of 14 new apartments for people facing homelessness and a newly rebuilt Daystation and Housing Resource Center. The Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) will oversee the apartments and operate the Daystation and Housing Resource Center, all of which are located at 95 North Avenue in Burlington’s Old North End neighborhood.
According to VHFA Executive Director Sarah Carpenter who participated in the ribbon cutting, “the urgent need for apartments to support Vermonters facing homelessness made this project a clear priority.” VHFA-allocated federal housing tax credits were the largest housing development funding source used for the project. Housing tax credits created over $3 million in equity which covered 40 percent of the total costs of developing the apartments. Other major funding partners included COTS, the Vermont Community Development Program and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, as well as significant philanthropic and community donations. The project was developed by COTS in partnership with nonprofit syndicator and developer Housing Vermont.
The new apartments, located on the building’s 2nd floor, will be targeted to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Seven of the 14 apartments will be fully furnished and offer service-enriched housing for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. These apartments also will receive private rental assistance through a COTS internal subsidy. The other seven apartments will provide permanently affordable housing for households with incomes below 60 percent of the HUD area median income. Twelve of the apartments are efficiencies, two have one bedroom and all have their own bathrooms and kitchens. The apartments share a common living room, laundry room and storage areas.
Photo by Kenn Sassorossi, Housing Vermont.