Some photos from last night's Smart Growth Awards presented by Smart Growth Vermont at the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes.
Partner organizations
COTS/HRC looking for Outreach Housing Specialist
The Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) and Housing Resource Center (HRC) in Burlington are looking to hire an Outreach Housing Specialist.
HRC is a community clearinghouse for information on housing options and resources for the homeless, the marginally housed and those at risk of losing their housing in Chittenden County.
The Outreach Housing Specialist will act as the housing resource liaison for members of the Continuum of Care of Chittenden County and for households who are homeless and at risk of losing their housing.
This is a new, one-year, grant-funded position.
Deadline for resumes is Sept. 22. For more information, contact Karen Saudek at COTS.
Free seminar: The Census and ACS
The Center for Research on Vermont is presenting a free seminar for data professionals this month: Research-in-Progress Seminar #222: "Counting Vermont in the 21st Century: The 2010 Census and Changes to Data on Our State and Communities."
Presented by Fred Schmidt (top) of the University of Vermont (UVM) and Chip Sawyer (bottom) of UVM's Center for Rural Studies, the session takes a look at the changing face of data collection in light of the new American Community Survey.
Nine steps to buying a house
We're always encouraging new homebuyers to attend a class given by the NeighborWorks® HomeOwnership Centers of Vermont. The knowledge you'll gain will be well worth the modest price.
Ludy Biddle, Executive Director of NeighborWorks of Western Vermont, has outlined the nine topics covered by her organization's "Housing 101" course in an article that appeared in the Rutland Herald this weekend.
"With fluctuating interest rates, legal language barriers, confusing contingency clauses, home buying — your most important purchase ever — is a daunting adventure," she writes.
"The best way to begin is by getting an education."
Nominations open for downtown awards
The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation is taking nominations for its Vermont Downtown Awards.
The awards will be presented as part of the 2009 Vermont Downtown Conference, Friday, Nov. 6, at the Middlebury Inn and Town Hall Theater.
Deadline for nominations is Oct. 1.
International housing experts visit Vermont
Our friends at Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) in Burlington are playing host to 25 housing leaders from 13 countries and six continents this week. The guests are here all week to study CHT's model of housing delivery.
The week starts today with current and former mayors of Burlington greeting the guests, including U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (invited), Mayor Bob Kiss and former Mayor Peter Clavelle.
The Burlington City Council will officially welcome the delegation Monday evening at their Council meeting.
Throughout the week, there'll be tours of CHT properties in Chittenden and Franklin counties.
NHC makes suggestions for repairing mortgage market
The National Housing Conference (NHC), an affordable housing advocacy organization in Washington, D.C., has released 10 suggestions to help repair the mortgage market and reduce the rising number of foreclosures.
The "Ten Key Principles" that require action by Congress and the Obama administration are available on the NHC Web site. They're the result of an NHC-commissioned industry-wide task force that studied the issue.
"Bold, strong actions are needed," NHC President/CEO Conrad Egan (pictured) said in a statement released yesterday.
Changing of the AmeriCorps guard at VAHC
Abby Krause has wrapped up her one-year stint as an AmeriCorps *VISTA member working at the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition in Burlington.
"This year has been an incredible experience," she wrote to VAHC member organizations on her final day last week. "I have learned more than I could have ever hoped to."
VAHC Coordinator Erhard Mahnke will welcome a new AmeriCorps *VISTA member in November.
Shumlin, Smith to speak at VAHC/VCEH joint meeting
The Sept. 9 joint meeting of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition and Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness will feature guest speakers Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin and House Speaker Shap Smith.
They will share their perspectives on the past year and the year ahead.
Jen Peterson from the Vermont Community Foundation will discuss how the Foundation can help non-profits face the current tough economic times.
Homebuyer education courses in September
NeighborWorks of Western Vermont is offering three homebuyer education courses next month:
- Sept. 12, 2009
9:00 AM-5:00 PM
NeighborWork of Western Vermont, 110 Marble Street, West Rutland, VT - Sept. 16, 2009
10:15 AM-6:00 PM
Bennington Free Library, Wills Room, 101 Silver Street, Bennington, VT - Sept. 25, 2009
10:15 AM-6:00 PM
Ilsley Library, 75 Main Street, Middlebury, VT
Each is an interactive workshop taught by a certified housing counselor.