VHFA has released its 2021 Annual Report. It includes the following letter from VHFA Executive Director Maura Collins:
The State of Vermont has announced the launch of of Better Places, a statewide community grant program that empowers Vermonters to create vibrant and inclusive public places in the hearts of Vermont communities.
The program is a joint effort between the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, the Vermont Department of Health, the Vermont Community Foundation and Patronicity.
A new report by the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) calls for better alignment between housing and supportive services in Vermont. The report was commissioned by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) and the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB). CSH convened a steering committee of leaders across the state and held a series of focus groups among providers and clients to develop solutions.
This report reviews the current system of housing and supportive services, and makes recommendations for increased alignment between funders, housing providers and social services to better serve client needs.
Governor Scott announces a new grant program, the Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP), which will help Vermont homeowners facing pandemic hardships. The program will be managed through the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) and is now accepting applications. The program, funded by $50 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, will provide grants of up to $30,000 per household towards overdue mortgage payments, utility bills, property taxes, and property association charges. VHFA anticipates that the program will run for multiple years to help reduce the long-term risk of foreclosure and home loss due to the pandemic.
University of Vermont graduate student Christina Cramer (she/her) has been named the Spring 2022 Vermont Housing Fellow. The Vermont Housing Fellowship program is intended to provide the Fellow with valuable experience aiding her professional development. Cramer will receive a financial stipend to help VHFA’s housing research and its outreach for its upcoming Homeowner Assistance Program.
Vermont's annual Homelessness Awareness Day will take place virtually this year from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Thursday, January 20th. Our partners at the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness, Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition, Vermont Interfaith Action, and Chittenden County Homeless Alliance are sponsoring a series of activities for the event, including legislative testimony and a Memorial Vigil to remember Vermonters who have died without homes.
Executive Director Maura Collins announced that VHFA has selected Ken Pulido (he/him) of South Burlington in the newly created role of Director of Energy Finance.
Pulido has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California-Irvine and an MBA from Stanford University. He has worked as both a banker and developer in the energy and finance sectors, including most recently as a consultant working with Vermont utilities on decarbonization efforts. He is also a member of the South Burlington Energy Committee. Pulido has been consulting with VHFA for the last year on its Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP), before accepting a role as a full-time staff member.