As planners for the town of Wilmington consider the next scheduled revision to their town plan, our friends at Smart Growth Vermont are encouraging a plan for growth that preserves the character of the town.

During a presentation to the planning commission last night, Smart Growth Vermont Executive Director Noelle MacKay said the town should be encouraging people to agree they should have safe, decent housing people already living in their community can afford.

Read the Brattleboro Reformer's story about last night's meeting.

Today VHFA began our annual ritual of naming our top mortgage loan originators for each county.

Kelly Deforge of Universal Mortgage Corp. in Colchester takes the 2009 honor for Chittenden and Grand Isle counties. You can reach her at 802.654.7896.

We'll be announcing the rest of our top originators throughout the summer.

The National Housing and Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA) is accepting entries for its 5th annual J. Timothy Anderson Awards for Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation.

The "Timmy" awards honor outstanding rehabilitation and preservation projects in eight categories based on overall design and quality, interpretation and respect of historic elements, impact on the community, and financial and market success.

Categories include:

A reminder to owners and managers of subsidized rental properties in Vermont: The deadline to submit your properties' energy and utility data to VHFA is approaching.

In order to be considered as a possible recipient of the millions of energy funding dollars becoming available through RGGI, the MacArthur Foundation, weatherization and other stimulus initiatives, owners or managers must complete VHFA's online survey by July 31.

If you have any questions about the survey, contact Director of Multifamily Programs Sam Falzone or email VHCB’s Craig Peltier.