Michelle Kennedy's keynote address from last month's Vermont Statewide Housing Conference will air again on CCTV Channel 17 in Chittenden County: Dec. 24 at 11:45 a.m.
You can also watch the keynote online anytime.
Michelle lives in Chelsea, Vt., and is the author of a number of books about parenting, including "Without a Net: Middle Class and Homeless (with Kids) in America," which details her time as a homeless mother of three.
The single largest type of federal housing assistance is the home mortgage interest deduction.
In 2007, U.S. homeowners received $85 billion through this deduction1. Unfortunately, the benefits of the mortgage interest deduction are enjoyed primarily by the wealthiest Americans. Over 80% of the value of this deduction goes to homeowners in the top income quintile, according to a recent Pew Charitable Trust study on economic mobility.
In addition to the home mortgage interest deduction, the federal government spends over $40 billion each year for other housing-related tax expenditures due to capital gains, property taxes, and investor benefits (preferential treatment of bonds and the low-income housing tax credits).
The Rutland Herald reports today that the Rockingham Area Community Land Trust and NeighborWorks of Western Vermont received grants to expand their foreclosure prevention counseling programs.
The money comes from the Federal Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.
The article quotes Bruce Whitney, Director of the NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center of Southeastern Vermont; and Tom Candon, Deputy Commissioner of the state's Banking Division and a VHFA Commissioner.
This morning, VHFA staff members took part in the Agency's long tradition of "mitten stuffing" to benefit our neighbors at the King Street Youth Center.
Staff donate mittens, gloves, scarves and hats, and fill them with candy before giving them to the kids who attend the center.
This year we saw the highest level of donations in several years, and perhaps ever: 239 pairs of mittens, gloves, hats and scarves.