The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) will award $168.8 million in supplemental state funds and federal American Rescue Plan Act State Fiscal Recovery Fund (ARPA-SFR) funding for investments in housing, conservation, working lands businesses and rural economic development. The first general application due date is July 23, 2021.
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Applications for Vermont COVID Emergency Mortgage Assistance due by 4PM on June 30, 2021
Due to limited funding, applications for the current round of Vermont COVID Emergency Mortgage Assistance must be submitted by 4:00 PM on Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Until then, eligibility requirements and application instructions will remain available on VHFA’s website at www.vhfa.org/map. All grant awards are subject to funding availability.
Learn more about Weatherization at Scale on 6/21
By: Mia Watson
In 2020 Vermont’s Energy Action Network formed a Weatherization at Scale action team, with the goal of weatherizing every home owned or rented by low-to-moderate income Vermonters by 2030. The coalition, which includes Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), successfully urged Vermont lawmakers and the Governor to invest more than $20 million towards weatherization in the FY 2022 state budget.
Federal tax credits awarded to build affordable apartments in five Vermont towns
By: Mia Watson
The Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) Board of Commissioners announced last week that its annual allocation of federal housing tax credits will support the construction of 105 permanently affordable apartments in five communities across the state. The sale of the credits is expected to yield over $26 million in funding, which will cover over 60 percent of total development costs. The program is the largest single funding source for affordable housing development in Vermont.
DHCD seeks public comment on recovery housing plan
By: Mia Watson
The State of Vermont's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is seeking input from stakeholders on the Vermont Draft Recovery Housing Program Action Plan (RHP). The plan outlines priorities for the use of approximately $1.5 million in federal funds being provided to the State to address the needs of transitional housing for people recovering from addiction.
Register for FHLB's AHP funding webinar
By: Mia Watson
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (FHLBB)'s 2021 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) will begin to accept applications on June 7. The program will award grants and low-interest loans through member institutions to organizations promoting homeownership and rental housing opportunities for low income households. The Affordable Housing Program has led to the production or renovation of nearly 35,000 affordable homes since 1990.
Facing worsening housing shortage, Upper Valley initiative provides solutions
By 2030, the Upper Valley region will need to triple the pace of home building and conversions to meet projected demand from existing and future residents, according to the collaborative Keys to the Valley initiative. About one-third of the region’s households are cost burdened by paying more than 30% of their income for their housing.
Ribbon-cutting celebrated at Woolson Block in Springfield
By: Mia Watson
VHFA Executive Director Maura Collins joined U.S. Representative Peter Welch and housing partners last week for a virtual ribbon-cutting for Woolson Block in Springfield. The historic revitalization project, developed by Evernorth and Springfield Housing Authority, offers 20 new apartments and commercial space.
How communities can promote fair housing
By: Mia Watson
Fair Housing Month is an opportunity to explore ways to promote housing opportunity throughout the year. Communities play important role to play in fair housing because many local practices or policies that seem outwardly reasonable can promote housing discrimination or segregation.
The moment is now to improve the health of housing
By: Mia Watson
This press release from the Vermont Futures Project shares their new white paper on housing challenges and solutions in Vermont. VHFA assisted with research on the project.
In 2016, The Vermont Futures Project set a target for 5,000 new and retrofitted housing units per year to meet the critical need for homes across Vermont. This was a need five years ago, and as we strive to recover from the pandemic-caused economic downturn, the health of Vermont’s housing market is under more stress than ever.