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.

PLEASE SET ASIDE FEBRUARY 23^rd 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

• 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

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

Thu Dec 22 2011

At a meeting on December 6, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board presented funding awards to the Addison County Community Trust and the Central Vermont Community Land Trust to create affordable rental housing in the towns of Hancock and Barre. The Windham and Windsor Housing Trust will rehabilitate two properties with 12 apartments in Chester and Gageville. Grants to the network of HomeOwnership Centers and non-profit housing organizations will provide financial counseling and homebuyer education to households who lost their homes in Hurricane Irene and assist communities in rebuilding after Irene. The Upper Valley Land Trust, the Nature Conservancy, the Stowe Land Trust, and the Vermont River Conservancy will use VHCB funding to conserve 413 acres of agricultural land, recreational land and wildlife habitat.

Christine  Hart, Chair of the Board, said, “These VHCB grants will be used in communities across the state and will complement flood recovery efforts, provide economic stimulus, support the agricultural economy, and provide public access to recreational land for generations to come … ”

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