Lamoille Housing Partnership and Housing Vermont joined with community members and state officials to celebrate the completion of extensive renovations to five apartment buildings in Morrisville and Stowe.  The renovations focused primarily on improving energy efficiency and the durability of the buildings. The rehabilitation included repairing slate roofing and replacing asphalt shingles, improving insulation, installing new windows and heating systems, and upgrading apartment interiors.

Individual homeowners, renters, businesses, or others who suffered losses as a result of flooding at the end of August are eligible for assistance to repair homes or to recover other losses. Even if the damage is minor, or if you are unsure whether damage will be covered by federal grants, individuals should apply ASAP.    The deadline for applying for both FEMA and SBA assistance is November 15, 2011. 

Check out the Vermont International Film Festival on Sunday, October 23rd for a 7 PM premier screening of Little House In The Big House at the Palace 9 in South Burlington.

The film focuses on a group of women who built a modular home program inside the Vermont state women's prison, through a program run by Vermont Works for Women.  The filmakers, Sisters Unite Productions,  and representatives from Vermont Works for Women will be at the screening to answer questions after the film. 

Read more or watch the movie trailer.

Over the past 18 months, VHFA, the Vermont Housing Managers Association (VHMA) and other statewide housing providers and advocates have been working on the concept of developing a universal rental application that could meet the basic needs of most housing programs in Vermont.  A streamlined approach has been requested by rental applicants, case managers and social service agencies working with rental applicants for years.  The need to simplify the process was identified in June at Governor Shumlin’s Housing the Homeless Summit and is even more pressing with the housing issues following the devastation wrought by Irene.