Vermont nets $350,000 for housing condition improvements

US Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and US Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) Thursday announced $350,000 in grants awarded to four organizations across Vermont to improve housing conditions for limited income rural residents.’
Nearly $300,000 of the grants were designated to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont ‘ Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Counties ‘ as a Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zone, a USDA Rural Development designation recognizing the unique rural nature of a region that prioritizes the regions’ grant applications.’ ‘
In a joint statement, Leahy, Sanders and Welch said: ‘ ‘ ‘These lifeline investments in housing improvements will make lives and communities better. ‘ The Northeast Kingdom’s REAP Zone standing is the key to three of these grants.’ ‘ Again and again, the NEK’s REAP Zone has been a catalyst for growth, for progress and for helping to build a durable rural economy.’ It’s a program that works, and it deserves to be renewed in the pending Farm Bill.’
In the 2013 Senate Farm Bill, Leahy fought to continue the REAP Zone authorization that has been so successful in establishing collaborative and citizen-led efforts to enhance economic development. As the senior most member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and a conferee in the 2013 Farm Bill conference, Leahy will continue to fight for a balanced Farm Bill that preserves the REAP Zone authorization. ‘
"As federal dollars become increasingly scarce, we welcome these grants that will help Vermonters in the most rural parts of our state," said Governor Peter Shumlin. ‘ "Combined with our state investments, these funds will make homes safer, more accessible and more energy efficient -- improvements the owners and residents could not afford on their own."
‘USDA’s Housing Preservation Grant Program helps ensure Vermonters have access to safe and affordable homes, a bedrock of community and economic development that helps our rural economies thrive,’ said USDA Rural Development State Director Ted Brady.’ Brady noted that these funds are another reason why Congress must get a comprehensive Food, Farm and Jobs Bill passed as soon as possible.
The grants are part of the $3.8 million released by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development’s Housing Preservation Grant program Tuesday.’ Vermont’s allocation of nearly 9 percent of the total grant awards make it the second largest recipient in the country and will be used to make general repairs, energy and weatherization improvements and code updates to more than 130 households in Vermont.’
The following four Vermont projects received funding:
‘¢’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Vermont Center for Independent Living, Inc. (Rural Economic Area Partnership): $100,000
‘¢’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Southeastern Vermont Community Action: $50,000
‘¢’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Gilman Housing Trust, Inc. (Rural Economic Area Partnership): $100,000
‘¢’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Northeast Employment & Training Organization (Rural Economic Area Partnership): $100,000’
(THURSDAY, Nov. 14, 2013) ‘Congressional delegation, Shumlin's office.