VHFA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RE-ELECTED TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE HOUSING AGENCIES

BURLINGTON—Sarah Carpenter, Executive Director of Vermont Housing Finance Agency, has been re-elected to the Board of Directors of the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA). “I look forward to continuing to serve on NCSHA’s board for a second term,” Carpenter says. “The past two years have afforded me the chance to work with professionals involved in many aspects of housing from across the county. The challenges Vermont faces in growing its inventory of affordable housing is shared by many states. Yet this issue rarely gets the attention it deserves on the federal level. NCSHA’s work is vital in continuing to promote the cause of affordable housing throughout the country.” Carpenter joined the NCSHA Board in 2004. Her re-election was announced during the association’s annual conference in San Francisco, Calif., in late-September. A native of Burlington, Vt., Carpenter joined VHFA as Executive Director in 1998. From 1983- 1998, she served as the Executive Director of Cathedral Square Corp. Under Carpenter's direction, Cathedral Square grew to be a nationally recognized leader in combining affordable housing and community services. Prior to her tenure at Cathedral Square, Carpenter held several positions with the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging. Carpenter holds a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science in social work from the University of Vermont, graduating cum laude. She has been the recipient of several awards, including the Vermont YWCA Susan B. Anthony Award, the National Organization on Disability Outstanding Contribution Award, and a NeighborWorks® America Government Service Award this August. Carpenter has served on numerous voluntary boards. These include current appointments to the Community Development Advisory Board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston; the Boards of the Vermont Community Development Program, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Trust Fund, and Fletcher Allen Healthcare. Her previous memberships including the national board of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging; AAHSA Assurances Limited, a captive liability insurance company; Housing Vermont, Vermont's non-profit statewide equity fund; the Vermont Alzheimer's Association; the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS); and a number of other local charitable organizations. NCSHA is a non-profit organization serving as a trade and advocacy group for housing finance agencies nation-wide. More information about NCSHA is available on the Council’s Web site, www.ncsha.org. VHFA was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1974 to finance and promote the development of affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income Vermonters. Since it’s inception, VHFA has helped more than 25,000 households with affordable mortgages and financed the creation of nearly 7,000 affordable rental units. More information about VHFA and its programs is available on the Agency Web site, www.vhfa.org.