Executive Director Maura Collins announced that Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) has hired Seth Leonard of Winooski for the newly created position of Managing Director of Community Development. Leonard comes to VHFA from the USDA Office of Rural Development, where he served as Housing Program Director for Vermont and New Hampshire. Prior to that, Leonard worked at VHFA for four years as Homeownership Outreach Coordinator.

“Seth’s experience with multifamily rental housing, his familiarity with VHFA programs, and his leadership skills will be a valuable addition to the agency’s staff,” Collins remarked. “We love welcoming previous employees back ‘home’ to VHFA, and Seth’s integrity, knowledge, and style make him perfect for this role.”

As the federal government shutdown continues into its third week, many in the affordable housing community have expressed concern about what it might mean for their programs. Vermont Housing Finance Agency will remain open throughout the shutdown. However, some of the federal program funding that VHFA and its partners administer may be affected if the shutdown persists. 

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

VHFA is pleased to announce the 2018 Top Performers across the local Vermont banks, credit unions and mortgage companies who participate in the VHFA single family homeownership program.  VHFA's participating lenders are essential to meeting VHFA's mission to provide homeownership opportunities for low to moderate income Vermont households.

Please join VHFA in congratulating the following organizations and individuals who originated the highest VHFA mortgage loan production volume in 2018:

Vermont’s economy is growing but not in every county, and its gains have disproportionately benefited higher income Vermonters, according to the 2018 update of “State of Working Vermont” from Public Assets Institute. Poverty is distinctly more prevalent among younger Vermonters and Vermonters of color, the report notes.

The northwestern part of the state accounted for all job growth in Vermont in the last decade, according to the Public Assets Institute report.  While employment grew in Chittenden, Franklin and Washington counties, the remaining counties lost 15,000 workers.