More than $1.3 million in federal neighborhood stabilization program funds are coming to Burlington to support housing.

Approximately $1 million of the allocation will allow Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) to purchase, renovate and resell six to eight homes.

The balance will be administered by Housing Vermont to convert the Thayer School (pictured) on Burlington's North Avenue into 100 units of family and elderly housing.

Vermont has received a total of $19 million in neighborhood stabilization program grants.

VHFA Policy & Planning Manager Maura Collins spoke at a monthly meeting of the Vermont Campus Compact today.

She presented some preliminary findings of the Vermont Housing Needs Assessment — to be published in the next couple months — and offered more than a dozen ways for college students to get involved with local housing organizations.

The Compact is a statewide consortium of 17 college and university presidents that promotes integrating public service into the academic, student life and civic goals of member institutions.

The Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS) presented Erhard Mahnke with the Leahy Leadership Award this morning.

Erhard is coordinator of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition (VAHC) in Burlington, a member organization committed to ensuring all Vermonters have decent, safe and affordable housing.

The award, established by COTS in the name of Sen. Patrick Leahy in 1998, is presented each year to someone who's done an outstanding job of advocating for those in poverty and working toward long-term solutions to end homelessness.

VHFA celebrated Halloween a little early when we invited employees to bring in their little ones from home for an interoffice trick 'r treat.