Vermont Housing Conservation Board 2005 - Vermont Housing and ...

Housing and Conservation Applications
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VHCB makes grants and loans to
nonprofit organizations, housing
co-ops, municipalities, and qualifying
state agencies. The Board is able to
respond quickly to assist municipalities
and nonprofits to cope with the
adverse impact of development on
Vermont’s affordable housing stock,
its agricultural land, and its environmental
quality.
The bulk of the Board’s awards
are made for projects associated with
the protection of agricultural lands,
natural areas, public recreational
lands, and historic properties, and for
the preservation, rehabilitation, and
development of perpetually affordable
housing. Special encouragement
is given to projects that meet both the
affordable housing and the conservation
goals of the Fund.
All applicants are required to
show long-term benefit to Vermonters
through deed restrictions or other
mechanisms that ensure the funds
provided will have a lasting effect.
Housing projects must target Vermonters
with incomes at or below
median. Program beneficiaries range
from tenants, potential home owners,
and farmers, to all who enjoy
Vermont’s natural, recreational, and
historic properties.
The Board meets and makes decisions
on applications approximately
eight times a year. Applications are
usually reviewed and decisions made
within five to ten weeks of submission.
Applications are rated according to the
Adopted Rule of the Board. Applicants
are invited to attend the meeting at
which the project is reviewed, and are
informed of the Board’s decision that
same day.
Site visits by VHCB staff are
required prior to submission of housing
applications.
Purchase of Conservation
Easements on Farmland
The Board evaluates farmland conservation
applications in a two-step
process. Pre-applications are reviewed
by the Agricultural Advisory Committee.
This group recommends projects
to be considered by the full Board,
and complete applications are developed
for those projects. Evaluation is
based upon soil quality, location, farm
infrastructure, management, and other
resources brought to the project.
Federal HOME Funds and Lead-Based
Paint Hazard Reduction Funds
Applications for HOME Program
funds are due on the same dates as
VHCB housing project applications.
Applications for Lead-Based Paint
Hazard Reduction funds are reviewed
as they are received.
Farm Viability
Enhancement Program
The Vermont Farm Viability Enhancement
Program provides funding to
organizations working with farmers
to provide technical assistance and
business planning services. Farmers
may apply to the program by filling
out an application available from
VHCB, NOFA-Vermont, the Intervale
Foundation, the University of Vermont
Extension Service, or Working Landscapes,
Inc.. Applications are reviewed
as they are received.
Feasibility Funds
The Board provides awards of up to
10,000 to assist with feasibility analysis
for individual projects and up to
15,000 for housing projects involving
more than one building. This program
pays for appraisals, engineering and
environmental studies, options, energy
assessments, and marketing analysis.
These awards are instrumental in
helping grantees bring projects to the
development stage. For a number of
years, the Public Service Department
has provided the Board with funds for
energy efficiency analyses in proposed
housing developments.
Organizational Grants
The Board provides grants to nonprofits
for some of the costs associated
with developing affordable housing
and conservation projects. This crucial
support ranges from up to 15,000 for
new organizations to up to 40,000
for regional groups actively engaged in
developing VHCB projects.
Application Procedures
Application deadlines, Board meeting dates and VHCB policies are
available from the VHCB office and are posted on the Board's web site
(www.vhcb.org). Applications are available by request. Please call us
for more information or with any questions:
General Information: 828-3250
Housing: 828-3526
HOME Program: 828-5060
Lead Paint Program: 828-5064
Conservation: 828-5066
Farm Viability: 828-0795
AmeriCorps: 828-3253