Addressing the Vermont Housing Challenge:
Local and Regional Strategies for Success
Tuesday June 28, 2022 | 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM | Barre Elks Lodge
The pandemic has turned what was already a housing shortage into a full-blown crisis. The problem is multifaceted and communities may be grappling with a variety of challenges each requiring different solutions, from homelessness to the “missing middle.” What are the various types of housing challenges we face in Vermont communities? How are communities around the state approaching these challenges? What are innovative solutions on the horizon? What is needed to accomplish housing goals?
Through a variety of panels and peer-to-peer discussions, this conference will delve into these questions and cover a variety of challenges and strategies, including:
Masks at this event will be optional but encouraged. Masks will be available for anyone who needs one. Disclaimer: Traveling and attending events with a large number of attendees during the COVID-19 pandemic places individuals at risk. Attendees who participate in person will be participating at their own risk. Lunch will be provided. Coffee, tea and water will be available throughout the day.
Parking is available in the Barre Elks Lodge lot with overflow parking on the street (metered) and at the Aldrich Public Library.
Through a variety of panels and peer-to-peer discussions, this conference will delve into these questions and cover a variety of challenges and strategies, including:
- How towns can use ARPA funds to support housing
- Investing in rehabilitation to bring units back online in regions with an older vacant housing stock
- Promising practices from municipalities implementing Zoning Bylaw Modernization grants to promote housing development
- Making sense of new resources to kickstart housing projects
Masks at this event will be optional but encouraged. Masks will be available for anyone who needs one. Disclaimer: Traveling and attending events with a large number of attendees during the COVID-19 pandemic places individuals at risk. Attendees who participate in person will be participating at their own risk. Lunch will be provided. Coffee, tea and water will be available throughout the day.
Parking is available in the Barre Elks Lodge lot with overflow parking on the street (metered) and at the Aldrich Public Library.
Agenda
9:30 Welcome
9:40 Keynote Finding the Housing Solutions that are Right for YOUR Community
10:30 Break
10:45 Panel Tailoring Solutions to Your Community and Region
12:00 Bernice Murray Award
12:15 Lunch Provided by the Barre Elks Club
1:00 Breakout Groups Table Discussions with Housing Project Leaders
1:45 Break
1:55 Presentation Zoning for Better Neighborhoods
2:25 Break
2:35 Panel Housing Resources: Where to Get Started and Who Can Help
3:50 Closing Words
4:00 Adjourn
9:40 Keynote Finding the Housing Solutions that are Right for YOUR Community
10:30 Break
10:45 Panel Tailoring Solutions to Your Community and Region
12:00 Bernice Murray Award
12:15 Lunch Provided by the Barre Elks Club
1:00 Breakout Groups Table Discussions with Housing Project Leaders
1:45 Break
1:55 Presentation Zoning for Better Neighborhoods
2:25 Break
2:35 Panel Housing Resources: Where to Get Started and Who Can Help
3:50 Closing Words
4:00 Adjourn
Keynote Presentation
Finding the Housing Solutions that are Right for YOUR Community
Presented by Seth Leonard, Managing Director of Community Development for the Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Seth Leonard serves as the Managing Director of Community Development for the Vermont Housing Finance Agency. In his role Seth directs the Agency’s multi-family rental housing lending, tax credit allocation activities, asset management, compliance, research and community relations.
Prior to joining the Agency in 2019, Seth served at the Vermont and New Hampshire USDA Office of Rural Development, where he served as Housing Program Director. Previous experience includes work in VHFA’s Single Family Housing department and Opportunities Credit Union. Seth also served as the mayor of the city of Winooski from 2015 through the beginning of 2019, which was preceded by two years as a city councilor. Seth is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and the University of Notre Dame’s Leadership in a Complex Era through the Mendoza Executive Leadership Program. In 2020 Seth was recognized by Vermont Business Magazine as a Rising Star, in acknowledgment of professional and community volunteer contributions for Vermonters under the age of 40.
Tailoring Solutions to Your Community and Region Panel
Jacob Hemmerick | Mayor | City of Barre
Jacob (Jake) Hemmerick is a resident of Barre City where serves as Mayor -- a volunteer role in Barre City’s Council-Manager form of government -- where he is focused on housing, infrastructure/capital planning, and public engagement. Jake moved to Barre with his partner Lisa for a shorter commute, the opportunity to afford to buy a home, and the many amenities and conveniences Barre offers. Professionally, Jake is a planning & policy manager at the Department of Housing & Community Development where he administers grants, three State designations, regional planning block grants, and a variety of special projects and policy work. Jake previously served as the planning & economic development director for the Town of Milton and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Evan Oleson | Northeast Kingdom Program Manager | Northern Forest Center
Evan joined the Northern Forest Center in 2021 as the Northeast Kingdom Program Manager. In that role he will manage the Center’s revitalization activities in St. Johnsbury, VT, and contribute to other Center programs in the Northeast Kingdom including Destination Development and the GetNEKedVT.com regional marketing campaign.
Evan’s focus is the intersection of business and society. His previous work spans industries including real estate and technology, with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and social impact. Evan holds a BA from Williams College and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. He lives in Danville, VT, with his family, and they enjoy all outdoor adventures including skiing, biking, and hiking. He is a volunteer firefighter and sits on the Board of Link, a non-profit that improves access to bicycling and educates youth on bike mechanic skills.
Zak Hale | Partner/CFO | Hale Resources
Zak’s journey as CFO of Hale Resources began while attending college and he applied much of what he was learning to the business at that time. After graduating with a Master of Science in Accounting from Castleton University in 2018, Zak moved back to his hometown of Bennington VT, became a partner of Hale Resources, and fully devoted himself to the company. Since that time Zak has established systems and procedures, set up strategic goals, and has been successful in scaling the business significantly.
With a mission to provide Sustainable Quality Housing to Southern Vermont, Zak has been passionately working with banks, investors, non-profits, state agencies, and various municipalities to structure and execute real estate ventures. Most recently, one of these ventures, 219 Pleasant Street, LLC, became the first ever for-profit company in the State of Vermont to receive a Community Development Block Grant. These funds, in addition to state and federal tax credits, were used to renovate a 100-years-old 10-units apartment building that is now an 11-unit. Zak played a major role in acquiring the grant, budgeting the project, and overlooking the detailed reporting requirements that are involved with this type of funding. When Zak is not in the office, he can be found renovating his home, out on the boat with his dogs and girlfriend, or somewhere deep in the woods on a hike.
Sandy Wilmot | Underhill Planning Commission | Underhill Harvest Crossing Project
Sandy Wilmot and her husband live in Underhill. Her interest in housing began when helping her daughters find housing in Burlington where available apartments were hard to find, and rental prices were outrageous. After retiring from a career as a forest health specialist with the State, she joined the town Planning Commission. Town surveys and housing studies provided a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between housing, land use, social and economic equity, and demographics. As a member of a local church active in social justice, an opportunity to purchase land in a village setting created an opening for a new model of affordable home development.
Jacob (Jake) Hemmerick is a resident of Barre City where serves as Mayor -- a volunteer role in Barre City’s Council-Manager form of government -- where he is focused on housing, infrastructure/capital planning, and public engagement. Jake moved to Barre with his partner Lisa for a shorter commute, the opportunity to afford to buy a home, and the many amenities and conveniences Barre offers. Professionally, Jake is a planning & policy manager at the Department of Housing & Community Development where he administers grants, three State designations, regional planning block grants, and a variety of special projects and policy work. Jake previously served as the planning & economic development director for the Town of Milton and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Evan Oleson | Northeast Kingdom Program Manager | Northern Forest Center
Evan joined the Northern Forest Center in 2021 as the Northeast Kingdom Program Manager. In that role he will manage the Center’s revitalization activities in St. Johnsbury, VT, and contribute to other Center programs in the Northeast Kingdom including Destination Development and the GetNEKedVT.com regional marketing campaign.
Evan’s focus is the intersection of business and society. His previous work spans industries including real estate and technology, with an emphasis on environmental sustainability and social impact. Evan holds a BA from Williams College and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. He lives in Danville, VT, with his family, and they enjoy all outdoor adventures including skiing, biking, and hiking. He is a volunteer firefighter and sits on the Board of Link, a non-profit that improves access to bicycling and educates youth on bike mechanic skills.
Zak Hale | Partner/CFO | Hale Resources
Zak’s journey as CFO of Hale Resources began while attending college and he applied much of what he was learning to the business at that time. After graduating with a Master of Science in Accounting from Castleton University in 2018, Zak moved back to his hometown of Bennington VT, became a partner of Hale Resources, and fully devoted himself to the company. Since that time Zak has established systems and procedures, set up strategic goals, and has been successful in scaling the business significantly.
With a mission to provide Sustainable Quality Housing to Southern Vermont, Zak has been passionately working with banks, investors, non-profits, state agencies, and various municipalities to structure and execute real estate ventures. Most recently, one of these ventures, 219 Pleasant Street, LLC, became the first ever for-profit company in the State of Vermont to receive a Community Development Block Grant. These funds, in addition to state and federal tax credits, were used to renovate a 100-years-old 10-units apartment building that is now an 11-unit. Zak played a major role in acquiring the grant, budgeting the project, and overlooking the detailed reporting requirements that are involved with this type of funding. When Zak is not in the office, he can be found renovating his home, out on the boat with his dogs and girlfriend, or somewhere deep in the woods on a hike.
Sandy Wilmot | Underhill Planning Commission | Underhill Harvest Crossing Project
Sandy Wilmot and her husband live in Underhill. Her interest in housing began when helping her daughters find housing in Burlington where available apartments were hard to find, and rental prices were outrageous. After retiring from a career as a forest health specialist with the State, she joined the town Planning Commission. Town surveys and housing studies provided a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between housing, land use, social and economic equity, and demographics. As a member of a local church active in social justice, an opportunity to purchase land in a village setting created an opening for a new model of affordable home development.
Zoning for Better Neighborhoods Presentation
Jacob Hemmerick | Planning & Policy Manager | Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development
Jacob (Jake) Hemmerick is a resident of Barre City where serves as Mayor -- a volunteer role in Barre City’s Council-Manager form of government -- where he is focused on housing, infrastructure/capital planning, and public engagement. Jake moved to Barre with his partner Lisa for a shorter commute, the opportunity to afford to buy a home, and the many amenities and conveniences Barre offers. Professionally, Jake is a planning & policy manager at the Department of Housing & Community Development where he administers grants, three State designations, regional planning block grants, and a variety of special projects and policy work. Jake previously served as the planning & economic development director for the Town of Milton and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Jacob (Jake) Hemmerick is a resident of Barre City where serves as Mayor -- a volunteer role in Barre City’s Council-Manager form of government -- where he is focused on housing, infrastructure/capital planning, and public engagement. Jake moved to Barre with his partner Lisa for a shorter commute, the opportunity to afford to buy a home, and the many amenities and conveniences Barre offers. Professionally, Jake is a planning & policy manager at the Department of Housing & Community Development where he administers grants, three State designations, regional planning block grants, and a variety of special projects and policy work. Jake previously served as the planning & economic development director for the Town of Milton and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Housing Resources Panel
Seth Leonard | Managing Director of Community Development | Vermont Housing Finance Agency
Seth Leonard serves as the Managing Director of Community Development for the Vermont Housing Finance Agency. In his role Seth directs the Agency’s multi-family rental housing lending, tax credit allocation activities, asset management, compliance, research and community relations. Prior to joining the Agency in 2019, Seth served at the Vermont and New Hampshire USDA Office of Rural Development, where he served as Housing Program Director. Previous experience includes work in VHFA’s Single Family Housing department and Opportunities Credit Union. Seth also served as the mayor of the city of Winooski from 2015 through the beginning of 2019, which was preceded by two years as a city councilor. Seth is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and the University of Notre Dame’s Leadership in a Complex Era through the Mendoza Executive Leadership Program. In 2020 Seth was recognized by Vermont Business Magazine as a Rising Star, in acknowledgment of professional and community volunteer contributions for Vermonters under the age of 40.
Misty Sinsigalli | Area Director | USDA Rural Development
As an Area Director, Misty works across all Rural Development program areas for the New Hampshire and Vermont jurisdiction. She lives the mission of increasing economic prosperity and improving the quality of life for the communities of the two State region through utilizing a broad array of USDA Rural Development’s 40 loan and grant programs. Prior to entering the Area Director role Misty worked as the Lead Specialist for Community Programs in Vermont and New Hampshire. Misty is a graduate of Champlain College and the University of Connecticut, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and her master’s degree in Public Administration. She has worked for the Federal Government for over fifteen years. She was with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for 8 years before coming to Rural Development. She is thankful she gets to work in a job she loves in a jurisdiction she has always called home. She lives in Fairlee, VT and has two children age 10 (Sophia) and 6 (PJ). She loves being outdoors with her children - no matter the season. Nature is the best playground for both adults and children.
Josh Hanford | Commissioner | VT Dept. of Housing & Community Development | Agency of Commerce & Community Development
Josh has 20 years of experience in the housing and community development field and was appointed Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, overseeing the state Housing, Planning, Historic Preservation and Community Development divisions, by Governor Philip Scott in 2019. He also served 4 years as Deputy Commissioner of the Department under two Governors and 10 years as the Director of the Vermont Community Development Program. During his tenure he has managed the award of over a half a billion dollars in State and Federal Housing, Community Development and Disaster Recovery Grants to hundreds of housing, economic and community development projects in communities throughout Vermont. He has also worked as a projects manager for several non-profit organizations in Vermont and New Hampshire, served in the Army National Guard and was recognized for his leadership as an AmeriCorps Director by the Corporation for National & Community Service. Josh serves on the board of directors for several non-profit organizations and enjoys spending as much time as possible outside fishing, skiing, and mountain biking. Josh lives in Randolph Center, VT.
Jenny Hyslop | Director of Housing | VT Housing and Conservation Board
Jenny is the Housing Director for the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board. In this role she oversees a variety of state and federal housing resources that are designed to expand housing opportunities for low and moderate income Vermonters. She has spent her career working in affordable housing, with prior roles at Vermont State Housing Authority, Downstreet Housing and Community Development, and a community action agency. She is especially interested in initiatives that expand the capacity of people and organizations to do good work in their communities. Jenny has a BA in Sociology from UVM and is a graduate of the Neighborworks Achieving Excellence program through Harvard’s Kennedy School. She lives with her family in Barre, VT.
Kevin Geiger | Director of Planning | Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission
Kevin Geiger is one of the most senior planners in Vermont, having worked in regional planning for over 80 towns in Vermont since 1990. He specializes in land use planning and regulation, brownfield assessment, water quality, housing, climate change, and emergency management. Kevin has served on several boards in Vermont, including President of the Vermont Community Development Association, a member of the State Emergency Response Commission, and as a founding member of the White River Partnership. He is a Certified Flood Manager, a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and has a Masters in Resource Management and Administration from Antioch New England Graduate School and a Bachelors in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic.
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