Press Releases

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. 

BURLINGTON-The message to the hundreds of professionals gathered at the Hilton Burlington yesterday was loud and clear: A stable life starts with stable housing.  Scholars Kathryn Edin and Luke Shaefer described the poignant interviews they had with poor families before writing their renowned book “$2.00 A Day: Living on Next to Nothing in America.” 

“When we asked what they needed most, people consistently said they wanted a home of their own and a job paying $10-$12 hour.” Without the safety of four walls, poor families live in a highly volatile “toxic alchemy” of threats and obstacles, Edin explained.

VHFA's Executive Director Sarah Carpenter announced today that interested parties are invited to submit comments on how housing tax credits are allocated.  Housing tax credits are Vermont’s primary funding source for developing affordable rental housing.  The comments will be considered during this year’s upcoming revisions to Vermont’s Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP).  As administrator of the housing tax credit program, VHFA allocates credits to specific projects in accordance with identified State needs and Federal requirements outlined in the Vermont QAP. Vermont’s inter-agency Joint Committee on Tax Credits reviews allocation policies and process and makes recommendations on the QAP to VHFA’s Board of Commissioners.

By purchasing $125,000 in Vermont Housing Tax Credits last Friday, Union Bank supplied the equity needed to help approximately 125 households buy their first homes in Vermont this coming year. These households will receive up to $5,000 to help cover their down payment and closing costs through a statewide program when they qualify for a Vermont Housing Finance Agency mortgage. 

BURLINGTON, VT -- On Monday, April 18, the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) Board of Commissioners committed federal low-income housing tax credits and state affordable housing tax credits that will provide almost $25 million in upfront equity to construct and renovate housing for low-income Vermonters and will increase permanent supportive housing for people who were formerly homeless. The $2.578 million in 10 year federal credits and $400,000 in five year state credits support 356 rental homes in 11 communities across the state.

Executive Director Sarah Carpenter announced Josh Mead has joined Vermont Housing Finance Agency as Operations Coordinator.  Josh has been working locally providing administrative and technical support to external customers for Alutiiq Technical Services out of Alaska. Josh has experience with various systems, data management, report testing and working with IT staff.

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.

Governor Shumlin joined leaders from VHFA, the Vermont Legislature and the business community today to launch a bold new effort to help the state’s first-time home buyers. Each qualified buyer will receive up to $5,000 for down payment and closing costs. There is mounting evidence that the escalation of these costs in recent years, combined with other economic hardships lingering from the recession, are preventing many young Vermonters from buying their first home.

Governor Peter Shumlin has appointed Randy Amis of Burlington to chair the VHFA's Board of Commissioners.

L. Randolph Amis (Randy), 59, has been an attorney in Burlington, Vermont since 1981.  He is currently with the firm of L. Randolph Amis, Esq., P.C. which has a wide variety of clients in residential and commercial real estate matters, business matters, estate planning and probate actions.