The recovery is progressing well for the U.S. and Vermont, according to presenters at the Vermont Economic Outlook Conference last Friday. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, listed five reasons he expected the economy to continue improving well:

Central Vermont Community Action Council invites you to an open house for its most energy efficient homes yet: the new building at 5 Church Street in Randolph.

Built on the site of a previous structure destroyed by fire last year, the new building is the most energy-efficient building of its kind in the state.

The event's Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ribbon cutting at 10, with tours and refreshments.

R.S.V.P. to [email protected] or 802.477.5237.

Jennifer Hollar has joined VHFA's Board of Commissioners.

Jennifer, the state’s new Deputy Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development (DEHCD), has worked at the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and a Washington, D.C., municipal development organization.

For 10 years, she served as a Commissioner of the Montpelier Housing Authority and has been on the Board of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust for six years.

VHFA is conducting its annual review of the Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) for Tax Credits, and will  hold a public hearing for feedback next Wednesday.

The QAP determines how VHFA allocates Vermont's Housing Tax Credits. We estimate we'll have $2.63 million in 2011-12 credits to allocate.

Next week's public hearing is a meeting of the Joint Committee on Tax Credits, which is responsible for making recommendations to the VHFA Board of Commissioners on changes to the QAP. It'll be held at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 19 at VHFA, 164 Saint Paul St., Burlington.

VHFA expects its Board of Commissioners will act on the Committee's recommendation at the Board's Feb. 7 meeting. Allocations made after the Board's adoption will be made under criteria of the newly-revised QAP.