ft. Sara Fleming, the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition

This guest blog feature is by Sara Fleming, Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition AmeriCorps VISTA. The Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition (VAHC) is a statewide membership organization dedicated to ensuring that all Vermonters have safe, adequate, physically accessible and affordable housing. CVOEO’s Fair Housing project welcomes our partners to add their voices to our Thriving Communities blog. Please send inquiries to fhp@cvoeo.org

The Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition is excited to start the next iteration of the “Voices of Home” project at Cambrian Rise!

Voices is a dynamic project, conceived by former VAHC AmeriCorps VISTA member Corrine Yonce, that aims to build community and raise awareness of the importance of affordable housing through storytelling and art. Past Voices projects have engaged low-income residents of affordable housing and public housing communities through audio interviews, portraiture, and community art projects. Check them out at the Voices website: http://www.vtaffordablehousing.org/voices/

Burlington’s Cambrian Rise, a new neighborhood on the shores of Lake Champlain, will be the site of hundreds of new homes, including two affordable apartment buildings, Laurentide and Juniper House, respectively owned and managed by nonprofit housing providers, Champlain Housing Trust and Cathedral Square. 

Last year, VAHC worked with Laurentide residents to create a collaborative art piece. The residents painted tiles and local artist Lydia Kern helped fabricate the “quilted” installation that is now in the building’s lobby. This project received funding and support from the Burlington City Arts Community Arts Fund, Neighborworks, Champlain Housing Trust, and CVOEO’s Fair Housing Project. 

This month, senior residents began moving into the Juniper House apartments, right next to Laurentide. VAHC is working with Laurentide residents to start a “Pen Pal project” between the two buildings. Laurentide residents will write welcome letters to their new neighbors at Juniper House, building a bridge between the two communities during this time of social distancing. 

VAHC is thankful to the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund and AARP Community Challenge for their support of this project. Both foundations have amazing grant-making programs for grassroots community projects. Voices of Home is also grateful for the continued support from CVOEO’s Fair Housing Project and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Stay tuned for more updates on Voices of Home!

Looking for support for a community project?

• The AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to fund quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages. Applications are accepted for projects to improve public spaces, housing, transportation, civic engagement, coronavirus recovery, diversity and inclusion, and more. Applications for the 2021 community challenge are open until April 14.
• The deadline for the next round of NEGEF’s Grow Grant—up to $4000 in funding to support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes—is Sept. 21.