The U.S. Treasury Department recently announced new guidelines that will significantly increase Vermont’s ability to use pandemic recovery funding to directly support the development of affordable housing and reduce costs for Vermonters. 

KeyBank is our newest Platinum level sponsor of the 2022 Vermont Statewide Housing Conference. For over 20 years, the conference has drawn hundreds of Vermonters interested in affordable housing together. After cancelling the conference in 2020, we are excited to again host an in-person event on November 16th at the Hilton Burlington. 

Over $11 million of a $50 million program to pay overdue housing costs for homeowners impacted by the pandemic has been disbursed within the first six months of the program. The Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) launched the Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) in January 2022 with funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. It provides grants of up to $30,000 for income-eligible homeowners. 

VHFA has released its first annual report for the Vermont Housing Investment Fund (VHIF). VHFA established the fund in 2020 in recognition of a growing need for more flexible financing opportunities for affordable housing development. VHIF investments are intended to fill gaps in project budgets, allowing worthwhile housing projects to move forward despite complex and changing development conditions.