This month Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) joined partners at ribbon-cutting ceremonies at Lincoln Place in Rutland and Red Clover Commons in Brattleboro. The two projects together created 37 new apartments, all of which will be paired with supportive services to help residents live independently.
At Lincoln Place in Rutland, Housing Trust of Rutland County renovated the former Immaculate Heart of Mary School building to create 19 new affordable apartments, 10 of which will be reserved for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Each apartment will be paired with a voucher to ensure that tenants pay no more than 30 percent of their income towards rent, and every tenant will have access to supportive services including counseling. Lincoln Place is close to downtown Rutland, with walkable access to transportation, jobs and amenities.
The $6.5 million project received most of its funding from federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits awarded by VHFA. The tax credits were purchased by People’s United Bank to raise around $3.7 million in equity for construction.
Red Clover Commons is the second phase of a joint project of Brattleboro Housing Partnerships and Evernorth. The new building will include 18 apartments for seniors and disabled households. The project is a major relocation effort that began after Tropical Storm Irene severely flooded 80 apartments at Melrose Terrace, a public housing project in West Brattleboro. Rather than rebuilding in an area at such substantial risk for another flood, tenants were relocated to the new Red Clover Commons site. The first phase with 55 units was completed in 2016.
The new building incorporates universal design principles for accessibility and all residents will have access to SASH (Support and Services at Home), a care-coordination program that helps residents live safely, comfortably and independently. In addition, four apartments will be reserved for homeless and at-risk households.
The $6.0 million project received around $3.5 million from federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits awarded by VHFA.
Other funders of the two projects include the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB), the Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD), the FHLBank’s Affordable Housing Program, and the National Housing Trust Fund.
Pictured: Ribbon cutting ceremony for Lincoln Place. Courtesy of Housing Trust of Rutland County