Housing in the news

Vermont Public Radio's "Vermont Edition" from yesterday is now available for listening online.

The program, titled "A New Approach to Downtown Planning," is devoted to "form-based code."

Listen online.

Today, Vermont Public Radio (VPR) will devote its "Vermont Edition" program to the topic of downtown planning.

Host Jane Lindholm will examine a new approach to creating livable, mixed-use downtowns for residents and businesses: "form-based code."

Brian Pine, Assistant Director for Housing at Burlington's Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO), will be on cable Channel 17 this afternoon talking about the forthcoming report, “An Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice.”

He'll join Kevin Stapleton of Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity's (CVOEO) Fair Housing Project.

"The CEDO Show" airs at 5:25 p.m. today.

The Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) will close its waiting list for Section 8 housing vouchers by the end of next month. The move, only the second time VSHA has closed its list, comes in the wake of many local housing authorities closing their lists due to overwhelming demand, low turnover and a lack of funding.

VSHA's list exceeds 3,000 and could number 4,000 by the time it closes.

This weekend, the Rutland Herald published a story about VHFA's Housing Acquisition & Rehabilitation Program (HARP).

The Times Argus published a story today about the slumping economy and its effects on first-time homebuyers.

"For would-be first-time home buyers, the quest to get into that home is more challenging today and likely to remain that way until the economy turns around," Bruce Edwards writes.

VHFA Executive Director Sarah Carpenter, among many other housing partners from across the state, is quoted in the article.

The Addison Independent has published another story in its "Making a Life in Addison County" series, which looks at how residents aged 20-34 live in Addison County.

Today's article, "Lack of jobs, housing strains young adults," looks at two of the biggest factors that determine whether an area is livable.

The Addison County Independent published a story today about the county's housing challenges.

VHFA Policy & Planning Manager Maura Collins, as well as our friends at Addison County Community Trust, NeighborWorks of Western Vermont and John Graham Emergency Shelter, are quoted in the piece.

Read the article online.

Union Square Apartments, an affordable housing development in Windsor formerly known as Armory Square, was the subject of a story in yesterday's Valley News.

Writer Bret Yager details some of the changes the property has undergone since it reopened under its new name eight months ago following rennovations.

VHFA provided financing and Tax Credits to Union Square.

A story in this morning's Burlington Free Press ("Vermont seeks to leverage success in weatherization numbers") says, "Vermont leads the nation in meeting goals for weatherizing low-income homes using stimulus funds."