Last week the Vermont Statewide Housing Conference recognized the contributions of Julie Bond and Rick DeAngelis of Good Samaritan Haven by selecting them for this year’s Vermont Housing Hero award. Good Samaritan Haven is a non-profit providing emergency assistance to people experiencing homelessness in Central Vermont.

As communities continue to grapple with last week’s severe storm, VHFA is postponing our Qualified Allocation Plan outreach meeting scheduled for July 18^th in St. Johnsbury. The meeting will be rescheduled for August 8^th at 11:00am and we hope to be at the Catamount Arts Center.  Check here for the latest news about the August 8^th St. Johnsbury meeting and other scheduled meetings across the state.  

A recording of the NPR show "1A" with Jenn White focused on the challenges of Vermont's housing landscape is now available through Vermont Public. White was joined at a live recording in Essex Junction on May 1, 2024 by VHFA's Executive Director Maura Collins, Carly Berlin, Housing/Infrastructure Reporter for Vermont Public and VTDigger, and Nancy Owens, President at Evernorth.  Listen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNmfnWx8HPA. 

VHFA's Commitment to Community Engagement

At the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), we believe in the power of community engagement and the positive impact it can bring to our surroundings. Our employees are encouraged to dedicate their time to volunteer activities, and their contributions this past year have been both inspiring and transformative. Here's a glimpse into the remarkable volunteer efforts of some of our team members.

Join a live recording of the popular NPR program '1A', with host Jenn White on Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Essex Cinemas. 

White will host a discussion about Vermont housing accessibility, affordability and development. As part of the live audience you’ll be invited to share thoughts and ask questions.

Click here to get tickets.

White will be joined by VHFA's Executive Director Maura Collins,  Carly Berlin, Housing/Infrastructure Reporter for Vermont Public and VTDigger and Nancy Owens, President, Evernorth. 

Seventy-five percent of affordable multifamily housing developments surveyed nationally reported insurance premium hikes over 10% between 2022 to 2023 according to a National Multifamily Housing Council report. Bloomberg and other news outlets have been reporting how “rising insurance rates are crushing affordable housing” which led to a Senate Committee hearing in Congress last year.

VHFA is pleased to be partnering with and participating in the upcoming community investment forum “Leveraging Partnerships and Capital: Unlocking Barriers to Affordable Housing and Economic Development” on April 16 in Manchester, presented by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston. The Manchester forum will be one of eight events throughout New England as part of the series. 

Speakers at the Manchester forum include:

VHFA is pleased to be a sponsor of the 2024 April Fair Housing Month kick off event “Just Action” with authors Leah & Richard Rothstein on April 1 starting at 5:30pm at Main Street Landing Performing Arts Center in Burlington. This free event and statewide housing justice book club will promote community-based solutions to housing segregation and exclusion.  

On March 27^th from 9-11 am the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development will provide a web-based informational session to overview the implementation of Build America, Buy America (BABA) in Vermont.

All residential development, construction, building trades, and building contractor professionals are encouraged to attend. If you are a planning professional working with or in communities supporting housing development that utilize federal funding, please share this information with your building/development networks.