A recent report from the Bipartisan Policy Center describes the need for a comprehensive national approach to integrating health care and housing for seniors. To counteract the increasing number of vulnerable Americans experiencing hardship as they age, the report makes the following recommendations:

Although most non-vacation condominiums sold each year in Vermont are near Burlington, several towns in other parts of the state also play an important role in this segment of the housing market. About 80 percent of all primary residence condo sales in Vermont each year take place in 10 towns--7 inside Chittenden County and 3 beyond its boundaries.

After sitting vacant for six years, the Gevries mobile home park in Addison County has started redevelopment.  VHFA provided housing tax credits that will cover an estimated 60 percent of the project’s costs and ensure that the new 14-home community will be affordable for low-income renters of all ages. By installing VERMOD high-performance duplex homes, developers Cathedral Square Corporation and Addison County Community Trust anticipate that the neighborhood will achieve net-zero annual energy costs, another critical component of its long-term affordability. 

Watch Local22’s story last week about the project. 

Executive Director Sarah Carpenter joined partners from Cathedral Square and other agencies to launch construction of Elm Place, a 30-unit building for seniors in Milton. Elm Place will be Vermont’s first multi-family building certified to Passive House standards. Better windows and doors, added insulation and improved air sealing are expected to enable the building to use roughly 65 percent less energy. 

The project has an anticipated opening date of March 2017. Residents will benefit from Support and Services at Home (SASH) care coordination which supports aging in place through an on-site SASH coordinator and part-time wellness nurse. Two apartments are fully ADA accessible and all apartments are adaptable.