February is Black History Month. Our nation has a long history of racist housing practices which prevented many Black Americans and other minorities from becoming homeowners and effectively restricted them to living in certain neighborhoods. The impact of these practices is felt to this day, with many cities still largely segregated along the lines originally drawn by redlining.

Home sale prices in Vermont continued to rise in 2020 amidst the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The median primary (non-vacation) home sold for $246,000, according to Vermont Property Transfer Tax records.

Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) Executive Director Maura Collins was recently appointed to the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) Board and Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (FHLB) Advisory Council. These two organizations play a key role in shaping housing finance policy in New England and beyond.

Columbia University graduate student Riley Burchell has been named the Spring 2021 Vermont Housing Fellow. Burchell will receive a financial stipend to improve and expand information available to decision makers about Vermont housing markets and opportunities. In addition, the program is intended to provide the fellow with valuable experience aiding to her professional development.

Burchell is pursuing dual degrees in Urban Planning and Social Work Policy at Columbia University.  She has interned for two years at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development, most recently facilitating and developing community engagement strategies around the implementation of a community land trust initiative in Far Rockaway, Queens.