CNN segment on Mark Horvath, a former television executive and homeless man, who has established a Web site to let homeless people tell their stories.
Housing in the news
Homeless shelter could be coming to Bellows Falls
A new homeless shelter could be opening in Bellows Falls this winter.
Approximately 35 people attended a public forum last night to discuss plans to open an overnight shelter at 33 Canal Street. According to the story in this morning's Brattleboro Reformer, most who spoke at the gathering support the initiative.
The shelter would be open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and provide space for 15 people.
Credit crisis puts a pinch on first-time homebuyers
The Rutland Herald and Times Argus published a piece yesterday about the global credit crisis and its effect on the ability of Vermont organizations such as VHFA to serve first-time homebuyers.
"It's diminished our ability to serve those low-income homebuyers that are our mission to serve," Executive Director Sarah Carpenter says in the article. "In the big picture, it's meant less opportunity for Vermont borrowers."
BusinessWeek: St. Albans "most affordable" Vermont suburb
BusinessWeek has named St. Albans Vermont's "most affordable" suburb.
"Housing prices across the nation are being flattened by the worst economic crisis in decades," Prashat Gopal writes, "but it's still not necessarily easy to find affordable suburbs.
"We've selected one affordable suburb near the biggest city in each state where residents can find the best quality of life for their money in 2009."
Report: Counseling reduces foreclosures, lowers payments
The Washington Post reported yesterday that a new report published by the Urban Institute shows homeowners having difficulty making their mortgage payments are 60 percent more likely to avoid foreclosure if they receive homeownership counseling than those who do not.
Those receiving counseling are also 60 percent more likely to have their mortgage payments lowered "significantly."
The report looks at the effects of $300 million distributed to 1,700 non-profit housing counseling organizations since 2007 as part of the federal National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling program.
Homebuyer tax credit extension; local media coverage
The U.S. Senate has voted to extend the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit and President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law today. (Read our previous posts about the credit.)
Two stories about the credit appeared in Vermont newspapers today: "Tax credit helps lift Chittenden home sales" (Burlington Free Press) and "Tax credit extension seen aiding Vermont home sales" (Times-Argus).
Vermont closing costs one of lowest in nation
A recent survey by bankrate.com revealed closing costs for home purchases in Vermont were the 48th lowest in the nation.
Researchers built the list by polling at least four lenders in each state, as well as the District of Columbia, asking for estimated closing costs on a $200,000 loan, assuming a 20 percent downpayment and good credit.
The numbers do not include taxes, and other government and escrow fees.
Using this data, Vermont's average closing cost was at number 48 on the list at $2,426, down from number 47 the previous year.
The top three:
Video: Housing initiative on Fox
National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) President Susan Dewey made an appearance on Fox Business yesterday to talk about the Obama administration's new initiative to help state housing agencies, such as VHFA.
Watch it here:
Treasury initiative receives press coverage
Yesterday's announcement about a new federal initiative to help housing finance agencies, such as VHFA, received attention in a number of media outlets.
Here's a list of what we've come across:
Valley News: Workforce housing scarce
The Valley News published a piece yesterday looking at workforce housing in Vermont/New Hampshire's Upper Valley.
In a nutshell, "Home prices are still beyond the means of many people in the Upper Valley."
VHFA's Sarah Carpenter, Maura Collins and Leslie Black-Plumeau provided some opinions and statistics for the story.