Agency of Commerce and Community Development Newsletter. JUNE 2024
DHCD's Community Planning and Project Manager Amy Tomasso presents at the Southern Vermont Economy Summit. ACCD photos.
Homes for All
Department of Housing and Community Development The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) did a presentation at the recent Southern Vermont Economy Summit at Mount Snow in Dover making the case for more Missing Middle housing and sharing how to build it using the Homes for All Toolkit.
You can register now to learn more about the state's Missing Middle efforts at Small-Scale Housing Solutions for Southwestern Vermont on June 11 in Rutland.
Also, check out DHCD’s recent article in Public Square “Vermont is bringing back missing middle housing”.
Photo by Alex Davis of an Accessory Dwelling Unit behind a home in Montpelier.
Adding ADUs
The Addison County Regional Planning Commission is leading the way educating homeowners about accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to add more rental housing in the area.
With support from DHCD, they created a Resource Guide that helps homeowners develop a budget, obtain financing, hire a contractor, vet tenants, and more. The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission and Northwest Regional Planning Commission have since developed guides too and other regions are following suit.
Downtown and Village Tax Credits
2024 Downtown and Village Center Tax Credits applications are due August 1. The application portal is expected to open in mid-June.
Downtown and Village Center Tax Credits serve multiple purposes. They help stimulate private investment, create jobs, and support new and upgraded rental housing. Successful projects range from modest renovations to multimillion-dollar downtown redevelopments.
FUTURE SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES
VCDA Spring Conference
Celebrate the power of municipalities in shaping vibrant communities and driving economic development at the Vermont Community Development Association Spring Conference on June 25 at the Hardwick Town House. Register today.
Leadership Summit
Build connections, exchange success stories, and learn best practices at the Vermont Council on Rural Development's 2024 Vermont Community Leadership Summit on August 6 at Vermont State University-Randolph.
VCDP Symposium
On October 23, please join the Vermont Community Development Program for its biannual conference at Vermont State University-Randolph. Topics include Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA), avoiding conflicts of interest, and labor law compliance. Registration details are being finalized.
Housing Conference
The Vermont Housing Finance Agency’s 2024 Vermont Statewide Housing Conference is set for November 14 at the Doubletree in South Burlington. Topics will include single family financing, affordable housing, local planning, and much more. Registration opens later this summer.
HAPPENING THIS WEEK
Flood Recovery Symposiums
The Vermont Flood Recovery office and FEMA are presenting symposiums to support recovery for municipalities, businesses, and nonprofits. Representatives can help with your situation, offer tips on navigating the system, and combine resources across agencies to get projects done.
June 4: Stratton Mountain
June 5: Vermont State University Johnson Campus
June 6: Vermont State House.
Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference
The 2024 Downtown and Historic Preservation Conference is Wednesday, June 5 in Bellows Falls. Learn more.
Creative Sector Convening
The Creative Sector Convening is Thursday, June 6 in Bellows Falls. On the agenda: creative entrepreneurship, community resilience, and case-making.
Health Equity & Community Design
An 18-month pilot program that led to policy recommendations, a toolbox, and created the Small Towns, Healthy Places podcast has come to an end.
DHCD and the Department of Health completed the Healthy Communities pilot capacity building program with sister agencies, state partners, and consultant Equitable Cities. The Healthy Communities TA program assisted 25 Vermont communities in developing community-driven plans and projects that focused on improving public spaces, food access, and transportation improvements.
Podcast Wraps Up
The 10th and final episode of Small Towns, Healthy Places has dropped.
DHCD’s Richard Amore and Suzanne Kelley of the Department of Health reflect on Health Equity and Community Design (see above) and how to continue to make progress.
DHCD In The News
Vermont Public reported on the benefits of Healthy Places.
Commissioner Alex Farrell talks housing with WCAX at the Southern Vermont Economy Summit.
And on WPTZ, how building Missing Middle homes will ease Vermont’s housing crunch.
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