April is Fair Housing Month, marking the 43rd anniversary of the federal Fair Housing Act.

The Act, passed by Congress in 1968 at the urging of President Lyndon Johnson, protects buyers and renters of dwellings from discrimination by sellers and landlords.

Providing affordable housing opportunities to all Vermonters is one of the founding principles of VHFA. Last October, VHFA published the City of Burlington's Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (PDF).

For more information about Fair Housing in Vermont, visit the Vermont Human Rights Commission.

KPMG has completed VHFA's A-133 audit, and the Agency passed with flying colors.

KPMG's report on compliance for VHFA's major programs was "unqualified" — a positive reflection on the Agency — and it found no material weaknesses or deficiencies in VHFA's internal controls.

Furthermore, there were no findings or questioned costs related to VHFA's federal awards.

This A-133 audit was more intensive than those the Agency has seen in the past, because of the multiple federal awards — TCAP, HUD Section 8, NSP-HARP — VHFA received in fiscal year 2010.

Moody's Investors Services has assigned an 'Aaa' rating to VHFA's $6.71 million 2009 Series B multifamily bonds.

The rating indicates Moody's has determined the bonds are the highest quality with the smallest degree of risk.

The Agency is converting approximately $6.71 million of 2009 Series A bonds and re-designating it as 2009 Series B.

VHFA originally issued $23 million in 2009 Series A multifamily bonds in December 2009 under the New Issue Bond Program established by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

This morning, the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Realtors, Mortgage Bankers Association, and others, released a set of "Principles for Restoring Stability to the Nation’s Housing Finance System."

The principles state: