Statewide reports of rising unemployment and residents in nursing homes especially vulnerable to COVID-19 can cause more questions than answers for Vermont’s communities. How many of our residents are unemployed?  How many live in “group quarters” and are especially at risk of contagious disease like COVID-19? How many of our neighbors experience homelessness or have such high housing costs relative to their incomes that their housing stability is at risk if their income falls?   

This week VHFA released a new dashboard of pandemic impact indicators to help local and state decision makers get answers to questions on community, county and state level effects of COVID-19.

Executive Director Maura Collins announced that Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) has selected Brittany Thurlo as its new Legal Coordinator.

Thurlo comes to VHFA from Colorado, where she worked as a paralegal at several Denver companies, with a focus on corporate and real estate law.

“Brittany’s extensive experience in providing legal support will be a valuable addition to the Agency’s staff,” Collins remarked. “We especially appreciate her flexibility as she joins our team remotely during the unusual circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (FHLBB)'s 2020 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) will begin to accept applications on June 8, 2020.  The program will award approximately $18.1 million in grants and low-interest loans through member institutions to organizations promoting homeownership and rental housing opportunities for low income households.

Every other November after Election Day for the past 20 years, the Vermont Statewide Housing Conference has drawn hundreds of Vermonters interested in affordable housing together.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made the outlook for large events in 2020 highly uncertain. For this reason, the multi-agency committee responsible for planning this popular conference has decided not to proceed with the conference slated for November 2020.