If the new National Affordable Housing Trust Fund, part of the housing relief initiative recently signed into law by President Bush, sounds familiar, it might be because the model for it was developed in Burlington more than 20 years ago.

The Burlington Community Land Trust, now Champlain Housing Trust, was created under Bernie Sanders — then Mayor of Burlington, now U.S. Senator — as a way to create perpetually affordable housing.

This is the first of several quick bios we'll blog of speakers scheduled to appear at the Vermont Statewide Housing Conference, Nov. 18 in South Burlington.

Read about other speakers scheduled to present at the event and register to attend at the conference Web site.

No one works in Vermont's housing community too long without coming across Erhard Mahnke. Erhard's worked in housing, community development and municipal government in the greater Burlington area for more than two decades.

Bennington celebrated its newest affordable housing project with a ribbon cutting event at Downtown Crossing last Thursday. Approximately 40 people including VHFA Public Affairs Manager John Fairbanks attended the event.

The 12-unit development includes four units in a new building on South Street, and eight units in a renovated building on School Street.

The new building (pictured) next to the offices of the Regional Affordable Housing Corp. includes money-saving energy efficient features such as solar panels for heating water, insulation, skylights and triple-glazed windows.

Members of the Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire housing managers associations will come together for their triennial "Crossing the Line" conference this fall.

The event will be held at the Lake Morey Resort in Fairlee, Vt., Oct. 27-29, under the theme, "Housing: Are the Odds in Your Favor?"

Registration fees range from $50 to $300, with hotel stays at the resort available for an additional fee. Deadline to register is Oct. 9.