Partnership delivers safe, stable housing and community support for refugee families.
Vermont Business Magazine Downstreet Housing & Community Development and the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network (CVRAN) today celebrated the opening of Randall Apartments, a newly renovated building providing four permanently affordable homes for New American families in Montpelier. The project marks an important step toward expanding safe, stable housing opportunities for refugees and asylum seekers in Central Vermont.
The journey to transform the project into a welcoming home for families seeking refuge began with a shared vision of creating inclusive communities where everyone has access to safe and affordable housing. This project was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Downstreet and CVRAN, along with generous support from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) Innovation Funds, the Montpelier Housing Trust Fund, the Vermont Housing Improvement Program, 3E Thermal, and the Vermont Community Loan Fund (VCLF).
“By pairing permanent affordability with CVRAN’s deep community support, we’re not just opening doors—we’re creating lasting stability and belonging for new Vermonters,” said Angie Harbin, Executive Director of Downstreet.
The Randall Apartments were transformed from units in poor condition into safe, modern homes through lifesafety upgrades and thoughtful design improvements. Today, they stand as a foundation for families building new lives in Montpelier.
"We are incredibly grateful to partner with Downstreet on projects like this one to increase access to affordable housing for all,” said Alie Zenie, CVRAN Executive Director. “We are working together to ensure that Washington County is a place where refugees, asylum seekers, and all Vermonters feel a sense of safety and belonging as they set down roots in our community."
The completion of Randall Apartments reaffirms a shared commitment to creating inclusive communities where everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, can find a place to call home. Together, we stand united in our commitment to building a brighter future for all.
For more information about Downstreet please visit www.downstreet.org. For more information about CVRAN, please visit www.cvran.org.
About Downstreet Housing and Community Development:
Downstreet Housing & Community Development is a non-profit organization that strengthens the communities of Central Vermont by creating permanently affordable homes, promoting equity and inclusion, and connecting people to the resources and services they need to thrive. Since 1987, Downstreet has been enriching neighborhoods in Washington, Orange, and Lamoille counties through real estate development projects, homeownership programs, supportive services, and a rental portfolio that provides safe, healthy, mixed-income rentals to over 500 households in apartments and manufactured housing communities.
About Central Vermont Refugee Action Network:
Established in 2015, the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network (CVRAN) is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Montpelier and dedicated to making our communities welcoming, safe places for refugees, as well as asylum seekers, and migrant workers. Our mission is to help these new Vermonters to settle, work, and thrive in Central Vermont. In welcoming them, we see how they greatly enrich our own cultural and economic lives.
Our organization provides wrap-around services to those under our care. That includes essentials such as housing, food, medical/dental care, legal services, English lessons, help registering the children in schools, help with drivers ed and earning a driver’s license, help with job counseling and training, etc. We gradually taper our services as our New Vermonters become more self-sufficient and eventually fully independent.
Faced with acute difficulty in finding housing, and encountering challenges specific to asylum seekers and refugees, CVRAN began actively creating affordable housing in 2023. CVRAN is a wholly volunteer organization except for two part-time coordinators. It is funded by individual donors and some grants.
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