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Vermont To Help Displaced Vermonters Through CDBG Funds

Posted February 2, 2012

VPR News interview with Jen Hollar, Deputy Commissioner  of the Vermont Department of Economic, Housing, & Community Development

A lot of Vermonters displaced by Irene are hoping their home will be bought out by the FEMA hazard mitigation program, which pays up to 75 percent of the home’s pre-storm fair market value.

Jennifer Hollar, Deputy Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development, says the state is committed to helping homeowners who qualify for FEMA mitigation make up that remaining 25 percent gap. Hollar tells VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb, that even for families who don’t qualify for Hazard Mitigation, help could be available in the form of Community Development Block Grants awarded to Vermont from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, in a pool of money totaling more than $21 million.

To listen to the VPR interview

 

 


Public Hearing Announcement

Posted February 1, 2012

Joint Public Hearing on Fiscal Year 2013 state budget on Vermont Interactive Television

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations

Monday, February 13, 2012, 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. – The House and Senate Committees on Appropriations will hold a joint public hearing on Vermont Interactive Television (V.I.T.) to give Vermonters throughout the state an opportunity to express their views about the state budget for fiscal year 2013. All 14 V.I.T. sites will be available for the hearing: Bennington, Brattleboro, Castleton, Johnson, Lyndonville, Middlebury, Montpelier, Newport, Randolph Center, Rutland, Springfield, St. Albans, White River Junction and Williston. V.I.T.’s web site has an up-to-date location listing, including driving directions, addresses and telephone numbers, http://www.vitlink.org/.

For the first time, the budget hearing will be VIEWABLE via the Internet if your computer has flash-based streaming capabilities.

Go to www.vtlink.org/streamingmedia/vtcvitopen.php

Some mobile devices may require additional software.

The Governor’s budget proposal can be viewed at the Department of Finance’s website: http://finance.vermont.gov/state_budget/rec. For information about the format of this event or to submit written testimony, call the House Appropriations Committee office at 802/828-5767 or emailtutton@leg.state.vt.us. Requests for interpreters should be made to the office by 12:00 noon on Monday, January 30, 2012.

 

 


Champlain Housing Trust Recognizes Leaders and Staff, Elects Board Members at Annual Meeting

Posted January 30, 2012

Burlington, Vermont – Approximately 175 members attended the Champlain Housing Trust’s Annual Meeting Saturday, where three local affordable housing leaders were recognized for their many contributions to creating and sustaining affordable housing in communities throughout northwestern Vermont. Also recognized were four staff for reaching milestones in their service to CHT, including CEO Brenda Torpy, who was saluted for leading the organization for twenty years.

Retired Burlington attorney Neil Mickenberg was presented with the Tim McKenzie Award for Outstanding Contributions to Perpetually Affordable Housing. The award, named after the organization’s first director, was awarded for Mickenberg’s long-term commitment to the Housing Trust’s mission, first as an attorney for the two founding organizations that merged to former CHT, then as a leader of a State established commission to examine the effectiveness of the affordable housing delivery system …

PDF of Full Press Release

 


Vermont Housing & Conservation Coalition Legislative Day

Posted January 23, 2012

SAVE THE DATE: VHCC Legislative Day will be Thursday, February 23, 2012 at the State House in Montpelier.

PLEASE SET ASIDE FEBRUARY 23rd as a day that you and your organization’s key supporters will spend in Montpelier talking and advocating in the Legislature on the importance of Vermont Housing and Conservation Board funding for your organization and the communities it serves.

Governor Shumlin has proposed $14 MILLION FOR VHCB – a $1.2 million increase.  With a $60 million budget deficit, this is a very positive development.

We need members to TURN OUT IN FULL FORCE to support his request and show appreciation.  Already voices in the Legislature have been raised saying that we don’t need to fund conservation when the state needs all available resources to help recover from Irene.  As the Governor has proposed, VHCB will play a key role by providing $2 million over two fiscal years to help homeowners who want buyouts of their destroyed homes, and to towns which seek to convert those parcels to open space and park land.

We need to reaffirm our core message that BOTH conservation and affordable housing are critical economic development investments that must remain a priority as the State meets the challenges of recovery and the fifth consecutive year of budget shortfalls.

Full Information & Tentative Schedule

For further information, contact:

Erhard Mahnke at 233-2902 or erhardm@burlingtontelecom.net

John Shullenberger at 373-2590 or jdsdiann@together.net

Adam Necrason at 223-9988 or necrason@snlawvt.com

 

 


Task force identifies post-Irene legal issues

Posted January 19, 2012

VTDIGGER.ORG

Tropical Storm Irene upended houses, personal property and lives in Vermont. The natural disaster, which destroyed more than 700 homes and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to state and local roads, also led to unprecedented legal questions.

Vermonters, in some cases, not only lost their belongings and homes, but also their land. Should towns redraw property boundaries in situations where a former dooryard has been reduced to river bed?

Other residents faced the sure knowledge that they would never repay hundreds of thousands of dollars on mortgages for properties that no longer exist. In rare instances, victims of the raging floodwaters faced both stark realities. What, if anything, can banks and municipalities do if residents walk away from their mortgage obligations?

Meanwhile, mobile home owners are unable to take on more debt because their housing devalues quickly over time and they don’t have asset capacity.

Though the state’s community banks have been quick to respond, certain out-of-state banks, namely Bank of America, have not been as generous with property owners’ who face foreclosure, according to Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell …

Link to Full Article & Link to Video Content

Link to PDF of Article

 

 


Upcoming: HOME Proposed Rule Webinar

Posted

Upcoming: HOME Proposed Rule Webinar

January 24, 2012 from 1:30 to 3:30 EST

For More Information Please Visit: http://hometa.info

HUD published a significant proposed regulation for the HOME Program in the Federal Register on December 16, 2011.  The proposed changes are intended to enhance performance and accountability, and clarify certain existing provisions.  Public comments on the proposed changes are due by February 14, 2012.

Full Information on Webinar

Section-by-section summary of the proposed changes

HUD encourages HOME Participating Jurisdictions, other program partners and stakeholders to comment on the proposed rule and raise questions for clarification through the comment process. HUD will host a webinar on the HOME Proposed Rule January 24, 2012 from 1:30 to 3:30 EST. CheckHOME’s TA site for the latest information on the webinar.

Here is the HUD webinar access information:

Install Live Meeting: You will need to install Live Meeting on the computer you will be using during the presentation. To install the software and check to ensure your system is compatible with Microsoft Office Live Meeting, go to http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=90703

Logging onto Live Meeting: At least 20 minutes prior to the webinar start time, log onto the Live Meeting website by copying and pasting the meeting URL into your browser.

Call in for audio: After logging onto Live Meeting, dial into the conference call number below so that you can hear the presentation. You may dial in up to 15 minutes before the session begins.

Troubleshooting & Additional Instructions: If you have any trouble logging in and to review additional guidance on participation (including how to ask questions), please click here.

 

 

 


2012 Annual Housing Policy Conference & Lobby Day

Posted January 18, 2012

 

  • When: March 25-28, 2012
  • Where: Washington D.C.

With budget battles looming and the presidential election already in full swing, 2012 is sure to have monumental implications for housing policy. Join us at NLIHC’s 2012 Housing Policy Conference and Lobby Day and hear from leading Administration, HUD and Congressional officials on what lies ahead for advocates of socially just housing policy. With 40 plenary and workshop sessions, an evening reception and Congressional office visits, you’ll leave this year’s conference prepared to bring about positive change.

To learn more and find out information on how to register

 


New Mobile Home Facts from DHCA

Posted

2011 Mobile Home Park Information:

  • Number of parks is 248
  • Number of total lots is 7,194
  • Number of vacant lots statewide is 310 or 4.3%
  • State median lot rent is $302

More Information on Mobile Home Parks

 


Public Hearing Announcement: Friday, February 17th

Posted

A public hearing is scheduled for Friday, February 17, 2012, time 10AM, at the Division of Fire Safety office located at 1311 US Route 302 in Berlin, Vermont.

They will also be posted on our division web page soon.

Link to 2012 Draft Access Rules

 


Roundtable Discussion of Affordable Housing Preservation in Vermont

Posted January 17, 2012

Please join us on Tuesday, March 13 for a Roundtable Discussion of Affordable Housing Preservation in Vermont.  It’s taking place at Noble Hall Lounge in Montpelier from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm – welcome and introductions at 9:15.  A map of the campus of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and a parking pass for on-site parking are attached.

This discussion is intended for affordable housing funders, developers, managers and advocates.  Our hope is to reflect and build upon your work in recent years and discuss policy priorities to help preserve existing affordable housing. The format for the day will include individual presentations, panel discussions, and open group discussion on key preservation topics including:

  • Today’s Preservation Landscape in Vermont with  Gus Seelig,  Sarah Carpenter, Jen Hollar and Bob McDonald
  • An Overview of the National Housing Preservation Effort
  • Doing Preservation Deals – Housing owners and developers discuss challenges and opportunities in their recent preservation projects
  • Strategies and Resources for Acquisition of  Federally Subsidized Housing Projects
  • Preservation Policies, Issues and Concerns for Vermont Housing Providers

Join us beginning at 8:30 am for a continental breakfast.  After the morning presentations and discussions we’ll break for lunch and have some time for networking. We expect to conclude the day at 3:00 pm.

There is no fee for the day but please register to help us organize the event. Panelists and speakers don’t need to register.

Reply to laurie@vhcb.org by March 1.   Include your name, title, organization, and telephone number. Noble Lounge is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us in advance if you require special accommodations. For more information contact me at 828-3526 or rick@vhcb.org

 

On Behalf of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board,

Rick DeAngelis

 

 


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