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VHCB Accessibility Training April 30th

Posted April 3, 2012

Nolan Riegler a Vermont Law School intern, has been working with VHCB staff for the past few months to develop an “accessibility tool” for funders and developers to use to determine when and how the various accessibility laws and standards (ADA, Section 504, UFAS, FHA, VT’s Access Rules and Visitability Law) apply to affordable housing development.

In recognition of National Fair Housing Month and the completion of Nolan’s internship, VHCB is hosting an accessibility training on April 30th 1:30-3:30pm (location in Montpelier TBD based on attendance).  Nolan will give an overview of his research on the applicable laws and regulations, walk everyone through how to use the “accessibility tool”, and then we’ll open it up for questions and next steps.

Please RSVP by Monday, April 9th.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Willa Davidian

Willa Davidian – Federal Housing Programs Manager – VT Housing & Conservation Board – (802) 828-5061

 

 

 


This Land Is Your Land: Mobile-home owners find cooperatives the way to roll

Posted March 22, 2012

SEVEN DAYS – Paul Heintz

March 7, 2012

 

For years, Henry Benedict and his neighbors battled the owner of the Swanton mobile-home park where they live. They fought over rent increases. They fought over water and sewage fees. They fought over maintenance issues.

Then, one day last May, Benedict and the 26 other families who live in the Homestead Acres mobile-home park received letters in the mail saying the owner was putting the 50-acre property up for sale. So they did something crazy: They formed a co-op and bought the place themselves.

“Everything happened real fast for us,” says Benedict, who works for the town of Highgate’s recreation department. “There was no time to think about it.”

When the newly named Homestead Acres Cooperative closed on the property in December, it joined the leading edge of a national movement to empower mobile-home residents by helping them buy the properties on which they live. Last month, a mobile-home park in Milton joined Homestead Acres and a park in Windsor to become the third cooperatively owned park established in Vermont in recent years.

The emerging trend is a significant development for the nearly 7000 Vermont families who live in mobile-home parks. While 80 percent of them own their dwellings, 70 percent live in for-profit parks where they have little leverage over the rent they pay for their lots. Despite the name, mobile-homes aren’t all that cheap or easy to move, so when rent goes up or the park changes hands, residents are left hoping for the best.

“We’re kind of stuck here,” says Benedict, sitting on a recliner in the living room of the 14-by-80-foot home he purchased a decade ago. “If you live in a trailer, you can’t just pick up and move.”

Link to Full Seven Days Article

This Land Is Your Land

 


VT’s Rental Vacancy Rate Drops in 2011

Posted March 5, 2012

Re-posted from VHFA’s Housing Matters – March 2, 2012

Leslie Black-Plumeau

According to annual housing vacancy statistics compiled by the Census Bureau, the estimated statewide rental vacancy rate fell in Vermont from 6.1% in 2010 to 4.2% in 2011 – the lowest in the nation, with the exception of Oregon. Nationally, the rental vacancy rate was 9.5% in 2011.

Vermont’s owner vacancy rate remained about the same in 2011 at 1.7%. The national owner vacancy rate was 2.5%.

Review the Census Reports

Link to original Housing Matters Announcement

 


Housing Seniors in Rural America: Resources, Advocacy, and Practice

Posted

HOUSING ASSISTANCE COUNCIL – Joseph N. Belden

Tuesday, June 5 2012 – Wednesday, June 6, 2012

HILTON BURLINGTON
802 859 5055
60 Battery Street
Burlington VT 05401

Description:
REGISTER NOW!  REGISTER NOW!  REGISTER NOW!  REGISTER NOW!  REGISTER NOW!
Join the Housing Assistance Council on June 5-6, 2012 in Burlington, Vermont, for Housing Seniors in Rural America: Resources, Advocacy, and Practice. Made possible with generous support from The Atlantic Philanthropies, this symposium will provide intensive training and information on housing for an aging population in rural America.

One of the most dramatic demographic shifts in U. S. history is the growth of the elderly population.  Rural America has a large and growing senior population, but also often lacks housing resources and capacity. Twenty-five percent of all rural households are occupied by the elderly. Of those homes, 80 percent are homeowner rather than rental properties. In fact, almost half of the rural census tracts in the U.S. have no subsidized rental units for seniors.

Learn more about meeting these emerging needs at HAC’s symposium.  Join policy makers, advocates, and your peers for a 2-day intensive workshop.  The agenda will feature discussions on aging in place, home repair and modification, preservation of senior rental housing, issues in HUD Section 202, the political and funding outlook for senior housing programs, strategies for advocacy, and examples of successful practice.  Also included will be a site visit to outstanding senior housing developments in the Burlington area.  Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to learn and share information on ways to meet the growing needs of the elderly.

Workshop topics will include:
· The Silver Tsunami: Demographics of Aging in Rural Areas
· Outlook for Senior Housing Policy and Programs
· Putting Programs to Work: Preservation of Rural Senior Housing
· Putting Programs to Work: Issues in HUD Section 202
· Putting Programs to Work: Aging in Place
· Advocacy for Senior Housing

Registration Fee: $50

Check the HAC web site for a full agenda.

Questions? Contact Shonterria Charleston at (202) 842-8600 or shtonterria@ruralhome.org. Visit HAC’s WEB SITEat www.ruralhome.org for more information on HAC’s Rural Senior Housing Initiative.


 


Job Posting from AHS Office of Economic Opportunity

Posted February 28, 2012

OEO Community Services Program Administrator

AHS-Office of Economic Opportunity is currently searching for a candidate to fill the position of “OEO Community Services Program Administrator”, recently occupied by the esteemed Angus Chaney (now AHS Director of Housing).

http://humanresources.vermont.gov/

Reference Number:  29716

Title:  OEO Community Serv Prog Adm

Agency:  Dept For Children & Families

Location:  Essex Jct

Description:  Coordinating, policy, advisory, and technical work for the State Office of Economic Opportunity involving development, monitoring and evaluation of multi-source funded community service projects implemented through local community organizations with a focus on ameliorating the effects of poverty. Employees may train and supervise area coordinators in project development and operation. Work is performed under the general direction of an administrative superior. All employees of the Agency of Human Services perform their respective functions adhering to four key practices: customer service, holistic service, strengths-based relationships and results orientation.

 


Job Posting from VSHA

Posted

VSHA CLIENT SERVICES POSITION

Vermont State Housing Authority, statewide affordable housing provider, has a position open for an organized, reliable individual to perform a variety of technical, clerical, hands-on work related to housing programs.  Will conduct routine certifications of tenants to determine appropriate rental subsidy, and communicate verbally and in writing with tenants and landlords regarding housing subsidies.  Position includes telephone and public contact work and is based in Montpelier.  Must be able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment, independently or as part of a team.

For position details, requirements and qualifications, visit www.vsha.org.  Cover letter and resume to:  HR, VSHA, 1 Prospect St., Montpelier, VT  05602-3556.  Position open until filled.

VSHA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

 

 


ECOS Project Notice of Meeting February 16th

Posted February 13, 2012

Wondering what’s happening with the ECOS project that the CCRPC is doing? Wondering how the region’s success with housing may be measured in the future? Come to this meeting to let your voice be heard! Please help us spread the word…

Chittenden County’s ECOS project is attempting to measure the region’s progress towards its housing goal of “increasing the opportunities for safe, decent, energy efficient, affordable, and fair housing for all types of households in diverse neighborhoods.” With such a broad goal, what data could indicate if we were on the right – or wrong – path?

VHFA and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission are inviting you to help pick the indicators that will be analyzed to gauge success in the future.

Please come to VHFA’s offices (164 St. Paul Street, Burlington) on Thursday, February 16th from 2-4pm to discuss what would be the most appropriate factors to monitor.

Right now, there are some suggested indicators for the housing goal, which is just one of over 40 indicators in the larger project of evaluating the region’s sustainability.

There are more indicators to comment on, for example there is a Social Community goal to “ensure physical access to the built environment (buildings and transportation) for all people” that clearly would apply to housing as well as other goals intended to increase diversity and public engagement.

You are welcome to comment on any of the indicators proposed online through ECOS’ website.

VHFA’s meeting on February 16th will be open to the public as a way of having a collective conversation about what data is available and what is most appropriate as an indicator. If you have any questions, please contact Maura Collins, VHFA’s policy and planning manager.

 

 

 


Buying from a Rent-To-Own Store

Posted February 8, 2012

It can sound great! No Credit Check. No Cash Down. Agree to a small regular payment and get your TV today!

BUT BE CAREFUL!

Rent-To-Own locations are not always truthful and are usually not the best deal, please read the brochure attached to learn more. If you feel like your organization can help please distribute these brochures to any one in need.

For further information please contact Byron Stookey at stookey@sover.net.

Full Brochure on Rent-To-Own

 


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

 

 


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

 

 


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