The national average rent for a modestly priced one-bedroom apartment is more than the entire Supplemental Security Income (SSI) of a person with a disability, according to a study released today by the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Housing Task Force and the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC).

"Priced Out in 2010" reveals people with disabilities receiving SSI need to pay 112 percent of their monthly income to rent a modest one-bedroom unit at the published fair market rent (FMR) determined by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).

Join Addison County Community Trust, Housing Vermont, Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Housing & Urban Development Regional Administrator Barbara Fields at a groundbreaking celebration for Vergennes Senior Housing.

It takes places next Monday, June 27, at 9:30 a.m., Armory Lane, Vergennes.

R.V.S.P. to [email protected].

The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) this week released its "2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress."

Despite a troubled economy, the report shows homelessness up less than 1 percent from 2009 to 2010 — from 404,957 to 407,966. According to the report, more than 1.59 million people spent at least one night in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program during 2010. That's a 2.2 percent increase from the previous year.

U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Deputy Secretary Ron Sims is stepping down from his post at the end of next month.

Sims, who has been HUD's second-in-charge since May 2009, says he's leaving to spend more time with his family in Seattle.

Read more in The Seattle Times.