What led you to apply for housing with ACCT?  Were there particular challenges you faced?
The stability of having our own place was very important. We were happy to get moved in as quickly as possible, confusing and exhausting as it was. Such a nice and professional person signing our lease makes the stress of the move worthwhile. Appreciate all your help along the way, Christine Ouellette.

How has you life changed since finding an affordable home with ACCT?  What’s the best thing about it?
I feel much more comfortable with ACCT than I did in our previous rented mobile home. 

Open Positions:

Housing Development Coordinator (Vergennes): This organized self-starter with great problem-solving skills will be tasked with overseeing and coordinating internal and external development team members in the identification, evaluation, and construction of affordable housing developments as well as the redevelopment of ACCT-owned mobile home parks. The successful candidate will coordinate/oversee project feasibility studies; participate in the design development and permitting process; participate in securing project funding; oversee and manage the construction process; and coordinate with professionals, partners, and funders. The candidate for this position must possess strong organizational, communication and analytical skills. Must be able to work independently and effectively in a multi-tasking environment. This position will primarily work from home.  Bachelor’s Degree required with three years of related experience.  Project management and/or nonprofit housing experience preferred.  Send cover letter and resume via email by June 8th. EOE.

SASH Coordinator (Bristol): Half-time opening for a resident services coordinator serving seniors in Bristol, with the potential for full-time in the future for the right candidate.  Full posting available on Indeed.

Upcoming Positions:

Staff Accountant: Contact Kathy for more info.

Armory Lane Senior Housing hosted an Antique Car Show today--there was plenty of sunshine and smiles to go around!  What a great and safe way to get outside and celebrate the start of summer! Thanks to Diana Rule-Senzel, Lead SASH Coordinator, for arranging this fun event!

When: May 17, 4pm
Where: Zoom (RSVP below for link)

Agenda

1. Vote on matters related to Lindale refinance and community septic:
   1. CWSRF Borrowing Resolution for Lindale Community Septic;
      
   2. Updated resolution from 4/22 to reflect that ACCT now plans to purchase the Fenn parcel simultaneously with the VHFA refinance closing;
      
   3. Remove Kathy Curley from Lindale VHFA Replacement Reserve account per VHFA request.
      

This morning, the FCC announced that on May 12, 2021, eligible households will be able to apply for the Emergency Broadband Benefit.
 
In announcing the official launch date, Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel stated: 
 
“Families in every corner of the country have been struggling to get online throughout this pandemic. For those families, we now say help is around the corner. In less than two weeks, we will have a new way for disconnected Americans to access the internet to carry out their day-to-day life, so they can reach the virtual classroom, take advantage of telehealth, and seek new employment opportunities.” 
 
Beginning on May 12 households can apply in three ways: 
 
Contact your preferred participating broadband provider directly to learn about their application process.  
 
Go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org to apply online and to find participating providers near you. 
 
Call 833-511-0311 for a mail-in application, and return it along with proof of eligibility to: Emergency Broadband Support Center 
P.O. Box 7081  
London, KY 40742 
 
Materials that partners can use to help promote the Emergency Broadband Benefit to the communities they serve will be available soon on www.fcc.gov/emergency-broadband-benefit-outreach-toolkit.
 
Earlier this week the FCC hosted a webinar that provided an overview of the benefit, eligibility criteria, how to apply, and the FCC’s partner toolkit materials. If you missed the event live, a recording can be viewed online. 
 
Thank you for all your hard work and continued efforts to ensure that every eligible consumer knows about the program and how to sign up. 
 
 In addition to the FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit, Vermont has also authorized use of CRF monies to extend the Temporary Broadband Subsidy.  Eligible Vermonters may stack their benefits.  By that I mean, that the FCC benefit AND the TBS benefit may both be applied to an account.  The FCC benefit will be applied first, and then the TBS will be applied against any remaining balance.  This brings the total available benefit up to $90 per month.
 
Current Lifeline subscribers will be automatically enrolled in EBB, best we can tell.
 
When these applications go live, we will have buttons that link to the online applications available on the home page for the Department at publicservice.vermont.gov for both EBB and TBS.

VHFA recently relaunched their Mortgage Assistance Program with new relief funds.  More info is available at www.vhfa.org/map.

Thanks to residents, staff, Board, and friendly volunteers, ACCT greened up three mobile home parks on May first.  Otter Creek's playground got a facelift with the addition of some new swings and lots of brush clearing around the slide.  Meanwhile, three new Zero Energy Modular (ZEM) homes at KTP were landscaped to get ready for guests of John Graham Housing & Services to move into their homes.  Up at Lazy Brook, volunteers refurbished a sign and beautified the park with plantings.

A huge THANK YOU to all our volunteers!  And thanks to property manager Chris Ouellette for organizing the whole thing!

Addison County Community Trust’s mission is to enrich the lives of low- and moderate-income people of Addison County by ensuring the development, management, and maintenance of safe, quality, affordable homes and related support for families, seniors and individuals. Last fall, thanks to the support of several generous donors, ACCT developed a pilot program to provide a new level of support for its residents to help them successfully remain in their new homes. Family Supportive Services is available free to residents young and old in ACCT housing who have a history of such problems as: housing instability or homelessness, struggles with mental health or addiction, need of support retaining employment and/or maintaining household income, and the added demands of juggling any such challenge on top of growing a young family.

ACCT hired Precious Chamberlin last month as its first Family Support Coordinator.  Over time she will work with as many as 40 separate families (approximately 100 individuals). Some of these families will be identified as being in need by property managers; others may be referred by local social service agencies; and still others might hear about the program and apply themselves. For all residents, participation in the program is entirely voluntary and all services are free.

In the six weeks she has been working with ACCT, Precious has seen twelve different families, helping them navigate existing resources to solve the challenges of their daily lives. Gradually she will increase her case load to help even more families acquire the skills they need to avert the problems that might result in poor health and homelessness.

ACCT's April Board meeting will be held Thursday, April 22nd, at 4pm, via Zoom.  (Note that regular meetings have moved to the 4th Thursday of the month.)  Please register using the form below to receive the link.

• Agenda (Updated 4-22)
  
• March Minutes