The Northwest Regional Planning Commission has hired Barry Lampke as project manager for the Working Communities Challenge initiative.
Lampke joins NRPC as the Working Communities Challenge begins a three-year initiative to create more safe, affordable and stable homes of all types and sizes for citizens in Franklin and Grand Isle counties.
“A stable and affordable home is the foundation that enables our families and communities to thrive, stay healthy and be productive,” said Catherine Dimitruk, NRPC’s executive director. “Barry’s experience connecting stakeholders around system change will be a real asset as we collaborate with communities to develop strategies that create new homes and strengthen our region’s economy.”
Before joining NRPC, Lampke worked for seven years as the community engagement and science communications manager at ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain. He has experience in land use planning, recycling, energy efficiency and public health issues.
“We’ve reached a tipping point,” Lampke says. “As the gap widens between people’s incomes and housing costs, and the pace of home construction in the region can’t keep up with demand, we need to find new ways to put a roof over people’s heads.”
NRPC is the backbone organization for the Working Communities Challenge initiative, which includes the Community College of Vermont, Franklin Grande Isle Community Action, Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation, Northwestern Counseling and Support Services, Northwestern Medical Center, the town of Fairfax and United Way of Northwest Vermont. The initiative is supported by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the state of Vermont.