Chittenden County Leaders Target 5,000 new homes, with a Quarter of them Permanently Affordable
Vermont Business Magazine This morning the Building Homes Together campaign launched its second five-year targets for making Chittenden County’s housing market healthier, more equitable, and more affordable. Supported by over 125 local leaders, the campaign’s goals include creating 5,000 new homes, with 1,250 permanently affordable, over the next five years. The new homes would include a combination of new rental and homeownership development.
The campaign, led by the Champlain Housing Trust, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, and Evernorth, garnered the support of dozens of legislators and local officials alike, as well as business, race and equity, social service, and community leaders. Several financial institutions and housing developers backed the goals.
See list of supporters below.
“We are thankful for the support of all the community leaders getting behind this bold new goal,” said Nancy Owens, Co- President of Evernorth. “Pulling together and addressing barriers, securing and directing once-in-a-generation resources smartly, and undoing systemic barriers to housing for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, all combine to provide us with a transformational opportunity right now.”
“For the communities and economy of Chittenden County to truly succeed, we need housing of all types to be developed,” said Michael Monte, CEO of the Champlain Housing Trust “But we heard loud and clear from our conversations that affordable options for lower and middle income households are virtually non-existent and we need to do all we can to double-down on ensuring everyone has housing they can afford.”
The first five year campaign met its target of developing more than 3,500 homes (just over 3,600), but failed to keep pace on affordable housing targets – and the pandemic and slower economic recovery for low wage workers has only worsened the affordability gaps in the market.
“Our communities are seeking answers and are looking to be part of the solution to our housing challenges,” added Charlie Baker, Executive Director of Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. “This is going to take an historic investment and policy changes to see success both in the short term and to make a lasting impact.”
The campaign makes a series of policy and financing recommendations, including:
- Local and state regulatory reforms
- Investing in existing homes and infrastructure
- Take advantage of this historic moment with the availability of federal and state resources
- Support local housing trust funds, and fully fund the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
- Connect philanthropy, social investment, businesses and families to create housing for the workforce
Additional background information and a full set of recommendations are attached, or can be found here: http://www.ecosproject.com/building-homes-together.
Those who wish to sign up to support the campaign can do so here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYGRLmsoA_R964NKwvT-RQTGa9PCNr14Wq7FBUQJKLKozQVw/viewform
CAMPAIGN SUPPORTERS (as of 12/13/2021)*
Clay Adams, CEO, Mascoma Bank
Kim Anderson, Director of Development and Communications, Community Health Centers of Burlington
Representative Sarita Austin, Vermont General Assembly
Charlie Baker, Executive Director, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
Jessie Baker, City Manager, City of South Burlington
Katie Ballard, Chair, Essex Housing Commission
Senator Philip Baruth, Vermont General Assembly
Connie Beal, Working Bridges Initiative Director, United Way of Northwest Vermont
Kathy Beyer, Senior Vice President, Real Estate Development, Evernorth
Leslie Black-Plumeau, Research and Community Relations Manager, Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Representative Tiffany Bluemle, Vermont General Assembly
Carl Bohlen, Chair, Hinesburg Affordable Housing Committee
Vince Bolduc
Peter Booth, Jericho Affordable Housing Committee
Matt Boulanger, Planning Director, Town of Williston
Mary Beth Bowman, Hinesburg Affordable Housing Committee
Andrea Brainard
Pam Brangan, GIS Data & IT Manager, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
Ken Braverman, President, The Braverman Company
Jesse Bridges, CEO, United Way of Northwest Vermont
Andrew Brown, President, Board of Trustees, Village of Essex Junction
Representative Jessica Brumsted, Vermont General Assembly
Julie Campoli
Amy Carmola, Chief Impact Officer, United Way of Northwest Vermont
Sarah Carpenter, City Councilor, City of Burlington
Heather Carrington, Community and Economic Development Officer, City of Winooski
Representative Seth Chase, Vermont General Assembly
Senator Thomas Chittenden, Vermont General Assembly | City Councilor, City of South Burlington
Representative Brian Cina, Vermont General Assembly
Maura Collins, Executive Director, Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Catherine Davis, President, Lake Champlain Chamber
Amy Demetrowitz, Chief Operating Officer, Champlain Housing Trust
Kelly Devine, Executive Director, Burlington Business Association
Mark Demers, Landlord Liaison, Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity
Virginie Diambou, Racial Equity Director, Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity
Chris Donnelly, Director of Community Relations, Champlain Housing Trust
Ben Doyle, President, Preservation Trust Vermont
Paul Dragon, Executive Director, Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity
Molly Dugan, Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Cathedral Square
Meaghan Emery, Vice Chair, City Council, City of South Burlington
Eric Farrell, Owner, Farrell Properties
Kim Fitzgerald, CEO, Cathedral Square
James Fraser, Senior Relationship Manager, TD Bank
Liz Gamache, Chief Development Officer, United Way of Northwest Vermont
Yasamin Gordon, Equity Director, City of Winooski
Tyeastia Green, Director, Racial Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, City of Burlington
Greg Hahr, Chief Lending Officer, New England Federal Credit Union
Cymone Haiju, Planning Director, Town of Milton
Marilyn Hardacre, Senior Vice President, People's United Bank
Corey Hennessey, Business Advisor, Vermont Community Loan Fund
Erik Hoekstra, Managing Partner, Redstone
Jennifer Hollar, Director of Policy and Special Projects, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
Mark Hughes, Executive Director, Vermont Racial Justice Alliance
Heather Hurlbert, Director, Housing and Community Facilities, Vermont Community Loan Fund
Jess Hyman, Associate Director, Housing Adocacy Programs, Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity
Jenny Hyslop, Director of Housing Programs, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
Jake Ide, Director of Investment & Philanthropy, Vermont Community Loan Fund
Mitzi Johnson
Jean Kiedaisch
Rolf Kielman, Architect, TruexCullins
Representative John Killacky, Vermont General Assembly
Larry Kupferman, Chair, South Burlington Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Evan Langfeldt, President & CEO, O'Brien Brothers
Kate Laud, President & CEO, Opportunities Credit Union
Seth Leonard, Managing Director of Community Development, Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Miranda Lescaze, Director of Real Estate Development, Champlain Housing Trust
Mayor Kristine Lott, City of Winooski
Merrily Lovell, Chair, Hinesburg Select board
Senator Ginny Lyons, Vermont General Assembly
Regina Mahony, AICP, Planning Program Manager, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
Owiso Makuku, Community Development Director, Town of Essex
Greg Marchildon, State Director, AARP Vermont
Rita Markley, Executive Director, COTS
Emily Mars Raymond, Hinesburg Affordable Housing Committee
David Martins, Director, Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition
Jeffrey McKee, CEO, Community Health Centers of Burlington
Kristy McLeod
Robert Millar, Chair, Winooski Housing Commission
Robert Miller, CEO, VSECU
Michael Mittag
Michael Monte, CEO, Champlain Housing Trust
David Mullin, Executive Director, Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity
Representative Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, Vermont General Assembly
Katherine Nelson, Director of Finance, Vermont Community Loan Fund
Patrick O'Brien, S.D. Ireland Companies, GM Construction & Development
Representative Carol Ode, Vermont General Assembly
Nancy Owens, Co-President, Evernorth
Lisa Patlis, Director of Communications, Evernorth
Karen Paul, City Councilor, City of Burlington
Senator Christopher Pearson, Vermont General Assembly
Darrilyn Peters
Barbara Petrie, Loan Administrator, Vermont Community Loan Fund
Brian Pine, Director, Community and Economic Development Office, City of Burlington
Phillip Pouech, Board Member, Hinesburg Select Board | Green Mountain Transit
Representative Barbara Rachelson, Vermont General Assembly
Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale, Vermont General Assembly
Mark Redmond, Executive Director, Spectrum Youth and Family Services
Cindy Reid, Director of Development, Cathedral Square
Helen Riehle, Chair, City Council, City of South Burlington
Sara Santor, Communications Coordinator, Evernorth
Darren Schibler, Planner, Town of Essex
Bill Schubart, Magic Hill Press LLC
Katherine Schubart
Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
Michael Simoneau, Owner and Commercial Broker, Geri Reilly Real Estate
John Simson, South Burlington Affordable Housing Committee
Senator Michael Sirotkin, Vermont General Assembly
Representative Taylor Small, Vermont General Assembly
Mark Snelling
Chris Snyder, President, Snyder Homes
Katherine Sonnick, Planner, Town of Jericho
Stephanie Spencer
Representative Trevor Squirrell, Vermont General Assembly
Representative Gabrielle Stebbins, Vermont General Assembly
Representative Thomas Stevens, Vermont General Assembly
Kelly Stoddard Poor, Associate State Director, AARP Vermont
Representative Maida Townsend, Vermont General Assembly
Max Tracy, President, City Council, City of Burlington
Chris Trombly, Chair, South Burlington Affordable Housing Committee
Ravi Venkataraman
Representative Tanya Vyhovsky, Vermont General Assembly
Mayor Miro Weinberger, City of Burlington
Alex Weinhagen, President, Vermont Planners Association
Dale Wernhoff, Hinesburg Affordable Housing Committee
David White, President, White + Burke Real Estate Advisors
Justin Worthley, Senior Vice President, Burton Snowboards
Representative Michael Yantachka, Vermont General Assembly
* Organizations/Institutions listed are for identification purposes only and do not necessarily reflect endorsement. For more
information on the Building Homes Together Campaign, including how to add your name to this list, visit
http://www.ecosproject.com/building-homes-together or email Chris Donnelly at [email protected].
Source: Burlington, Vermont – Champlain Housing Trust 12.14.2021