Residents, staff, and supporters gathered in Brattleboro last week for a ribbon-cutting celebration at Great River Terrace. The project, sponsored Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT), created 22 affordable apartments for homeless and very low income Vermonters. The $4.6 million project was funded in part by federal and state tax credits and a construction loan awarded by VHFA.
The development converts the former Lamplighter Inn, an extended stay motel, into 22 efficiency and one-bedroom rental apartments. The apartments will be reserved for the homeless or at-risk households. WWHT will partner with Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services to provide mental health and substance abuse counseling, and with Groundworks Collaborative to provide budgeting assistance and basic life skill support to residents.
“Vermont Housing Finance Agency has prioritized funding for permanent supportive housing developments for people who are homeless or at-risk,” remarked VHFA Deputy Director Maura Collins, who attended the ribbon-cutting event. “Great River Terrace is a prime example of that commitment.”
The project completely overhauled the existing structure, replacing it with energy-efficient materials and rooftop solar panels. A newly constructed community building will offer office space for the on-site supportive services, laundry space, a community living room, and a community kitchen.
This project also received funding from Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB), the Vermont Community Development Program, the National Housing Trust Fund, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) HOME program.