subscribe to our blog receive updates via email

Categories

Archives

Older stories


powered by wordpress

News

Manage government to need, not just money

Posted October 31, 2011

By Jack Hoffman, VTDigger.org, October 27, 2011

One of the good things to come out of Tropical Storm Irene was seeing the state respond to human needs. Individuals, businesses, government, and other institutions all had a similar reaction to the crisis: they jumped in with both feet and did what they could to help their fellow Vermonters.

The moment, unfortunately, was fleeting. A month after Irene struck, the Shumlin administration was back into manage-to-the-money mode, building a state budget based on how much money is likely to be available, not on what will be needed to meet Vermonters needs for the coming year. Because it now looks like Vermont will have $75 million-$80 million less next year than even a conservative estimate of need, Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding has asked all agencies and departments to prepare baseline budgets 4 percent below this year’s appropriation.

Article Taken From http://publicassets.org

PDF: Manage government to need, not just money

URL: Manage government to need, not just money

 


Training: Vermont Lobbying & Communications Bootcamp on 11/15

Posted October 25, 2011

Presented by Common Good Vermont and KSE Partners, LLP government affairs & strategic communications.  This event is a brass-tacks training for nonprofits, activists, community leaders, students, educators  and small-business owners for raising their profile in the Vermont Legislature and developing a voice in government. The event is Part I of a two part series of lobbying and advocacy training presented by Common Good Vermont.

Lobbying & Communications Boot Camp:  How to Raise Your Profile & Get Your Way in an Age of Distraction

When: Tuesday November 15,  9 – 3 p.m.
Where: Vermont Statehouse, State Street, Montpelier Vermont
Who should come: Nonprofit staff, board members, volunteers, small business advocates, activists and anyone who wants to raise their profile and influence the Vermont Legislature.
Cost: $25.00

Click here to Register and Read more

 


New England Housing Network Annual Conference

Posted October 6, 2011

SAVE THE DATE: New England Housing Network Annual Conference

Friday, December 2, 2011

8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Sheraton Needham Hotel, Needham, MA

Featured Speakers:

  • Xavier de Sousa Briggs, Associate Professor of Sociology and Urban Planning, MIT (Formerly, Associate Director, White House Office of Management and Budget)
  • Barbara Burnham, Director of Federal Policy, LISCSheila Crowley, President, National Low Income Housing Coalition
  • Barbara Fields, New England Regional Administrator, HUDEthan Handelman, Vice President for Policy and Advocacy, National Housing Conference
  • Margaret Salazar, Senior Housing Program Specialist, HUD
  • Barbara Sard, Vice President for Housing Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities(Additional National Speakers to be Announced)

Workshops:

  • Housing Finace Reform and Tax Credit Changes
  • Impact of Federal Budget Cuts
  • Section 8: Creative Approaches with Limited Resources
  • The New Reality for Public HousingSustainable Communities
  • Housing Counseling: Best Practices and Future Plans

New England Housing Network Lead Agencies:

  • Connecticut Housing Coalition
  • Citizen’s Housing & Planning Association, MA
  • Maine Affordable Housing Coalition
  • Housing Action New Hampshire
  • Housing Action Coalition of Rhode Island
  • Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition

To register and obtain the conference brochure, click here

To register online, click here

Save the Date & Conference Announcement

 


Increase in CY2011 Funding Allocation from HUD

Posted September 27, 2011

Due to an increase in the CY2011 funding allocation from HUD, Vermont State Housing Authority may have the ability to serve an additional, approximate 140 households. VSHA proposes to use this funding to serve displaced individuals and families affected by Hurricane Irene in Vermont. As such, these public notices (available at www.helpingtohouse.org under “Informational Resources”) serve two purposes:

1. Proposal to establish a new Presidentially Declared Disaster Preference.

2. Proposal to open the VSHA Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waitlist to serve households that are eligible for the Presidentially Declared Disaster Preference.

In addition, it is anticipated that VSHA may be able to serve some additional households, with other preferences, who are already on the VSHA Sect. 8 HCV waitlist.

For additional information, call 802-828-3295 (voice); 800-798-3118 (TTY); 800-820-5119 (messages). Equal Housing Opportunity

 

 


House Advances Bill Designed To Boost Consumer Protection

Posted April 5, 2011

Source: VPR News, March 29, 2011, by Ross Sneyd

“(Host) The House has given preliminary approval to a bill that advocates say will provide better protection to consumers.

Proponents of the bill say state government needs to do a better job policing on behalf of consumers in an age when electronic communications make fraud even easier. [More ...]

 


Vermont House $4.6 billion ‘Big Bill’ for fiscal 2012 moves to Senate

Posted

Source: Bennington Banner, March 29, 2011, Chris Garafolo

“MONTPELIER — The Vermont House approved the final passage of the $4.6 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Friday afternoon, after much debate from human services and education advocates.

Just minutes after passing the historic health care reform bill on Thursday, House members dove headfirst into discussion about the operating budget, which takes effect July 1. Lawmakers quarreled about House Bill No. 441, commonly referred to annually as the “Big Bill,” before its final passage shortly before 7 p.m. by a vote of 95 to 34. [More ...]

 


House passes transportation bill

Posted April 2, 2011

The following article discusses the implications of the transportation bill passed by the House on Friday, April 1, 2011. This transportation budget supports projects that will enhance overall transportation throughout Vermont. It also budgets in specific projects for sidewalk creation/repair and other pedestrian/bicycle friendly proposals, which will help to increase mobility among Vermonters and make rural towns more accessible.

Source: Brattleboro Reformer, April 2, 2011, by Chris Garofolo

“BRATTLEBORO — The Vermont House has passed a $544 million transportation budget that will continue the state’s ambitious resurfacing goals of more than 200 miles of interstate and state highways.

The spending bill’s final passage came on the House floor Friday morning, proposing a $137 million increase from previous budgets without federal stimulus funds for transportation investments. Those figures include a 36 percent ($20 million) increase from pre-stimulus level funding for paving on 100 miles of interstate highways and 135 of state highways. [More ...]

 


ConPlan Public Hearing March 25

Posted March 14, 2011

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The State of Vermont’s Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development (DEHCD) will conduct a public hearing to receive comments on its proposed HUD Consolidated Plan 2011 Action Plan on Friday, March 25, 2011 from 2:00 PM — 3:00 PM in the Calvin Coolidge room, at the National Life Building North Lobby, Sixth Floor, Montpelier, Vermont. [More ...]

Tags: , ,

 


Con Plan Public Meeting – March 25

Posted February 28, 2011

March 25, 2011, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM, Calviln Coolidge Conference, North Lobby, 6th Floor, 1 National Life Drive, Montpelier, VT.

A public hearing was held January 28, 2011. No public comments were received.

The second public hearing to receive comments on the draft 2011 Action Plan will take place on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 2 PM. More information including the Legal Notice will be posted here at least 15 days before the date of the hearing. [More ...]

Tags: ,

 


State issues legal notice and RFP for Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing

Posted February 22, 2011

Source: The Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development (DEHCD), February 22.

The State officially issued the legal notice and RFP for the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing. They have been posted to the state’s bidding system website, here. You can also find them on VAHC’s website here: Legal Notice & RFP.

For more information, contact:

Julie Kelliher
Phone: (802) 828-5245
Email: Julie.kelliher@state.vt.us

Tags: ,

 


« Newer Posts — Older Posts »