Vermont has the opportunity to receive a $19.6 million grant to fund activities related to the purchase, rehabilitation, or redevelopment of abandoned or foreclosed upon homes through the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development's (HUD) Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).

To access the funding, the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) has to submit to HUD an application and amendment to Vermont's Consolidated Plan by Dec. 1.

ACCD is convening a meeting of stakeholders and interest groups to comment on the Draft Vermont NSP Application/Plan on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 3 to 5 p.m. The meeting will be followed by a public hearing from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Children of VHFA staff members were invited to the office today for a little Halloween fun.

Here are just a few of the faces that were seen wandering the halls looking for candy:

Journalist and noted curmudgeon H.L. Menken once observed, "For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."

Such is the case with claims we're seeing recently that investment in affordable homeownership triggered the current global fiscal crisis.

This is the latest of several quick bios we'll blog of speakers scheduled to appear at the Vermont Statewide Housing Conference, Nov. 18 in South Burlington.

Read about other speakers scheduled to present at the event and register to attend at the conference Web site.