VHFA announced today that David Adams, Chief of Program Operations, will be retiring from the agency on November 17, 2017. Concurrently, Maura Collins will be promoted to the position of Deputy Director. “Dave has expertly led our programs through the turbulent economic and mortgage industry changes of the past two decades,” VHFA Executive Director Sarah Carpenter explained. “His dedication to VHFA’s mission and unmatched mortgage banking experience have led to many ground-breaking improvements in how our programs operate.”
Honors
Lisa Clark named Assistant Director of Finance at Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Executive Director Sarah Carpenter announced Lisa Clark has been promoted to Assistant Director of Finance at VHFA. She began her career at the Agency in 1997. “Lisa has been a long-term, dedicated member of VHFA’s Finance Department for 20 years and we are excited about expanding her responsibilities for the Agency’s bond and investment functions,” said Tom Connors, VHFA’s Chief Financial Officer.
Lisa’s expanded role includes oversight of VHFA’s bond and investment accounting, compliance monitoring and the information technology needs of the Finance Department. In her expanded role, she supervises staff responsible for bond financing, investments, financial analysis and compliance monitoring.
Lisa resides in Essex with her husband and two children.
VHFA ranked again among top 5 best small places to work in Vermont
VHFA is ranked again in the top five Best Places to Work among small and medium sized companies across the state by the Vermont Business Magazine. After receiving the honor of the top spot in 2016, VHFA was ranked fourth for 2017. The award was made last night at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Burlington where Governor Phil Scott and hundreds of employees from the 45 companies ranked as finalists gathered.
We have a winner!
Many thanks to the dozens of people who participated in our Valentine's Day Photo Contest!
All of your submissions were thoughtful and a happy reminder of what it means to have a home. After much thought and consideration, the winner was eventually narrowed down to Jess Marshall. Check back in May for our Spring/Summer Photo Contest (there will be plenty more to follow!).
Helen Head and Polly Nichol named 2016 Vermont Housing Heroes
At the biennial Vermont Statewide Housing Conference on November 15, two statewide leaders were honored for their service and achievements. Representative Helen Head received the “Legislative Housing Hero” award for her years of commitment to affordable housing. Head has served as South Burlington’s representative to the Vermont House of Representatives since 2003 and as Chair of the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs since 2007. She also helped lead Project Home (now HomeShare Vermont) and the Joint Urban Ministries Project (JUMP). Head also volunteers with and on behalf of Hospice of the Champlain Valley, Dismas House and Small Potatoes.
VHFA tops list of best places to work
VHFA was ranked number one Best Place to Work among small and medium sized companies across the state by the Vermont Business Magazine. The award was made last night at the Echo Lake Aquarium and Science Center, where hundreds of employees from the 38 companies ranked as finalists gathered.
VHFA named one of Vermont's best places to work
We have long known that VHFA is a fantastic place to work, and now the secret is out. Vermont Business Magazine named VHFA one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont for 2016!
Companies from across the state entered the two-part selection process. The results of an employee survey counted for 75 percent of each nominated company's score. The remaining 25 percent of the score consisted of evaluating each company's workplace policies, practices and demographics. The combined scores placed VHFA firmly among the top "small" companies (with fewer than 150 employees).
Thank you, Vermont Business Magazine!
Champlain Housing Trust receives Renewal Award for innovation
Yesterday Champlain Housing Trust's (CHT) Executive Director, Brenda Torpy, accepted the Renewal Award at a reception in Des Moines, Iowa. CHT's shared equity, permanently affordable homeownership program and five other innovative programs were selected during a nationwide search for creative, grassroots solutions to the country’s most pressing social and economic challenges.
Recognizing the clear benefits of shared equity homeownership for low- and moderate-income Vermonters, VHFA has long supported the state's network of shared equity programs, including CHT's.
Read more about this prestigious award from Atlantic Media sponsored by Allstate.
Time to submit entries for the 2016 Housing and Community Design Awards Program
The American Institute of Architects, in conjunction with HUD, is now accepting entries for the 2016 Housing and Community Design Awards Program. Owners of structures and architects licensed in the United States are invited to submit project designs of any size, budget, or style. Only projects completed after January, 1, 2011 will be considered for the awards. All entries must be submitted electronically before November 20, 2015 at 5:00 pm EST.
Algiers Village honored for transformation from brownfield to affordable rental housing
The Algiers Village redevelopment project in Guilford was recently selected as a winner of the national Phoenix Award. This award honors the team of dedicated Vermont partners who led the transformation of a rural village that had fallen into disrepair and become contaminated by petroleum.