Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) is pleased to announce that Seth Leonard, VHFA Managing Director of Community Development, has been selected for the Fulcrum Fellowship of the Center for Community Investment (CCI) at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
This prestigious program provides support for the development of the nation’s most promising leaders in the fields of housing, creative placemaking, philanthropy, and economic and community development. Leonard is one of 16 Fellows who will participate in a 15-month action-learning program that aims to help leaders create meaningful systems change through collaboration across silos and sectors. They will join a network of leaders committed to advancing racial equity and supporting disinvested communities to achieve their environmental, social, and economic priorities.
“Seth has brought remarkable levels of expertise and energy to VHFA’s community development programs in the past three years,” said VHFA’s Executive Director Maura Collins. “We are thrilled that Seth will discover new ways to unlock capital and use housing and community development investments as a Fulcrum Fellow, helping VHFA support underserved residents and communities.”
Leonard, a resident of Winooski, has served as Managing Director of Community Development since 2019, overseeing the Agency’s housing development, rental housing management and community relations activities. Leonard came to VHFA from the USDA Office of Rural Development, where he served as Housing Program Director for Vermont and New Hampshire. Prior to that, worked at VHFA as its Homeownership Outreach Coordinator.
Leonard also served as the Mayor of the City of Winooski for four years. During his tenure, Leonard was a strong advocate for affordable housing, and Winooski saw many reforms to encourage new development, including revising its Municipal Master Plan and zoning codes.