Planning is underway for the 2018 Vermont Statewide Housing Conference, held every other year. This year we will shake things up and change the focus to highlight the intersections housing has with education, community development, economic development, and health care. There will be more focus on specific municipal policy tools and case studies of communities that used those tools and what they learned. The 2016 conference drew over 400 housing professionals, including legislators, town and regional planners, advocates, developers, and bankers. Attendee evaluations from previous conferences have been consistently positive about the many opportunities to network, learn, and be inspired.

Need an affordable apartment or know someone who does?  There are vacancies in 26 different apartment complexes across the state, according to the Vermont Directory of Affordable Rental Housing.

On Monday, April 16 the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) Board of Commissioners committed federal Housing Tax Credits and Vermont Affordable Housing Credits to construct and renovate apartments for low-income Vermonters over the next several years. The $3.5 million in ten-year federal capped credits, $319,000 in ten-year federal uncapped “bond” credits and $173,000 in five-year state credits will support the development of 251 apartments in eight communities across the state. VHFA permanent and construction financing totaling $19 million was also approved for five of the projects.

VHFA had a great 2017!