The Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development (DEHCD) will release the 2010 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment at a press event Tuesday, Dec. 22.

The event will be held at 1 p.m. in the Cedar Creek Room at the Vermont Statehouse on State Street, Montpelier.

Copies of the report will be available online as PDF downloads soon.

The study focuses on housing needs of the state’s lower-income households, and examines challenges facing special populations, such as seniors and Vermonters with extremely low-incomes.

It consists of a synopsis and seven chapters devoted to specific housing topics:

A recent report from the Center for Housing Policy shows housing affordability has worsened, despite dropping home prices.

"Housing Affordability Trends for Working Households" reports the number of working families across the nation with "severe housing cost burdens" rose from 18 to 20 percent from 2005-08.

The number of working renters spending more than 50 percent of their income for housing stayed about the same: 22 percent.

Gov. Jim Douglas and housing officials cut the ribbon on Union Square Apartments, an affordable housing development in Windsor.

The $17 million renovation project opened for move-ins Dec. 1.

Read the Valley News story about the project.

Read more about Union Square in our previous posts:

• $10.3 million coming for affordable housing in Vermont
• Ground breaking at Union Square Apartments, Windsor

For the second year, VHFA participated in the Lund Family Center's "Adopt-a-Family" program.

Staff members donated gifts and household staples to benefit an area family in need.

Lund serves families with children; pregnant or parenting teens and young adults; and adoptive families. Learn more at the Lund Family Center Web site.