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Land trust meeting tackles housing issues
By Sky Barsch
Times Argus Staff

BARRE — High housing prices, swift turnover of real estate and federal budget cutbacks are signaling tough times ahead for affordable housing advocates in the region.

Those market pressures and funding realities are making the work of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust all the more important these days. The Barre-based nonprofit hosts its annual meeting tonight, and will discuss housing issues and the state of organizations, such as the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, that financially and technically support its mission to provide affordable housing.

The trust has had some success this year, working with partners to develop a Barre Street parcel in Montpelier, where it plans to build 36 apartments and 18 condominiums. In total, the organization now has 350 units of affordable housing in central Vermont, according to Executive Director Tim King. But its work may get tougher. In addition to other sources, CVCLT relies on federal and state funding and grants. With President George Bush's proposed cuts to housing programs and the state facing an $80 million Medicaid deficit, public funding for affordable housing could look different this year than it has in the past.

"There's budget issues at the federal and state level, and housing is a changing priority," King said. "And exactly where that's going to end up, we don't know yet. But at least in terms of the federal budget, a lot of social programs are under pressure, and the federal government is looking to cut a lot of programs related to social services and affordable housing. Some of that trickles down to the state."

CVCLT uses government funding plus fees for services, grants, donations and income from its properties to run its programs, which include first-time homebuyer seminars, the operation of two trailer parks and building and managing affordable housing and apartments.

In addition to funding pressures, the trust also faces pressure from communities. The term "affordable housing," which King defines as housing that costs 30 percent or less of the salary for those at or below the median income level, still makes some people uncomfortable, King said.

"It's kind of tough wherever you go," King said. "Affordable housing is a hot potato. It's a delicate subject and everybody wants to support it. But when it comes down to where it is going to go, that's when people start to feel threatened by it. They're afraid of what it's going to do to the neighborhood, what kind of tenants it's going to bring in."

King said he sees housing needs in all corners of Washington County.

"The need varies from town to town. I wouldn't say I see any town or municipality that doesn't have a need. If you look at it statistically, some cities and towns have a higher percentage than others. Barre has higher percentage than the Mad River Valley. I would say where the need is going to be in the next couple of years is not going to be a geographical one, but an economic one," King said.

The Montpelier River Station project on Barre Street, for instance, will help with the affordable housing need in Montpelier, but it won't solve it, King said.

"It's a major step, a new project, new construction," King said. "We haven't had new construction, multi-family, for some time. Is it going to fix the problem? No, I don't think it's going to fix the problem. It's certainly going to help address it."

Gus Seelig, executive director of the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, said CVCLT's work is evident both physically — in the restoration of old buildings — and behind the scenes.

"For people of modest means — we've all seen what the housing market and the real estate market have done in recent years. It's very hard for people on fixed incomes or earning 50 percent of the median income to compete in this housing market. They (the CVCLT) make it possible. They've made a great partnership with Washington County Mental Health, (providing for) our most disadvantaged citizens.

"They made it possible for people to own homes who otherwise wouldn't be able to do that. We see that as an impact on hundreds of households in our community. When you think about what it means to have a home as opposed to when you don't ... Even if you're not thinking about homelessness. Think about a kid who has to move from school system to school system every year because your landlord raises rent every year."

The Central Vermont Community Land Trust is "making sure there's room for all members of the community to live in it," Seelig added.

Tonight's annual meeting, scheduled for 5:30 to 8 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Montpelier, will honor longtime housing activist Jim Libby. Libby, who works for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, was one of the founding members of the Central Vermont Community Land Trust and was its first president.

"He has been an advisor both formally and informally to the organization," King said. "He's been a contributor financially as well."

Libby has been active in the Montpelier Housing Task Force and was a leader in the movement to start a housing fund in the Capital City this year.

On the Web: www.cvclt.org.

Contact Sky Barsch at sky.barsch@timesargus.com or (802) 223-3335.