Campaign Partners | Thriving Communities

Collaborating in carrying out the “Thriving Communities” campaign are some key partners, public and private. They prominently include, but are not limited to:

Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) finances and promotes affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income Vermonters. Since its establishment in 1974, VHFA has helped about 28,000 Vermonters purchase residences and furnished financing, tax credits and other support to about 8,600 units of rental housing.
Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB) creates affordable housing and protects Vermont lands. Since its inception in 1974, VHCB has assisted in the creation of more than 10,500 affordable homes, the conservation of nearly 400,000 acres of agricultural and recreational lands and natural areas, and the restoration of 56 historic community buildings for public use.
Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) supports resilient communities and provides assistance designed to enhance community development programs and practices. The department develops housing policy, oversees the Mobile Home Park program, and is the state’s central office for local and regional land use.
Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition (VAHC) advocates for expanding Vermont’s stock of affordable housing. The coalition is a nonprofit, statewide membership organization that aims to ensure that all Vermonters — especially those of low or moderate income — have safe, adequate, physically accessible and affordable housing.
Vermont Human Rights Commission (VHRC) is Vermont’s civil rights enforcement agency and has jurisdiction to investigate complaints of unlawful discrimination in housing, places of public accommodation (schools, restaurants, stores, government buildings, etc.) and state government employment. The VHRC also engages in education and outreach efforts, offering training on a variety of civil rights laws and issues.
Vermont Legal Aid (VLA) provides civil legal services for those living in poverty, with a disability, or over age 60. We also serve anyone who is discriminated against in housing. Its partner agency, Legal Services Vermont, provides a variety of legal services and also manages the legal helpline. VLA’s Housing Discrimination Law Project (HDLP) works to stop housing discrimination and to protect Vermonters’ right to choose where they live. HDLP represents individuals and organizations in court and before state agencies, housing authorities, municipal governments, and the legislature.
Evernorth is a nonprofit organization that unites Housing Vermont (HV) and Northern New England Housing Investment Fund (NNEHIF) to provide affordable housing and community investments in Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire. In its combined 30-year history, Evernorth has raised and deployed over $1 billion in equity capital for affordable housing and built more than 13,000 affordable homes for low- and moderate-income people across northern New England. Evernorth is one of the key partners of Building Homes Together, a coordinated campaign to increase the housing supply in Chittenden County.
Champlain Housing Trust (CHT), founded in 1984, is the largest community land trust in the country. Throughout Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, CHT manages 1,800 apartments, and stewards over 520 owner-occupied homes in its shared-equity program. CHT offers home-buyer education and financial fitness counseling, provides services to five housing cooperatives, and offers affordable energy efficiency and rehab loans. CHT is one of the key partners of Building Homes Together, a coordinated campaign to increase the housing supply in Chittenden County.
Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) is one of 11 regional planning commissions in Vermont and the state’s only Metropolitan Planning Organization. It provides planning and technical assistance for member municipalities and the public and develops and implements plans that support sustainable development and improve the region’s quality of life and environment. CCRPC is one of the key partners of Building Homes Together, a coordinated campaign to increase the housing supply in Chittenden County.
AARP Vermont is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization with 127,000 members in Vermont and 39 million members nationally. Through a wide array of special benefits, services, and information resources, we help our members make important choices, reach their goals and dreams, and make the most of life after 50.
Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO), the parent organization of the Fair Housing Project, is a nonprofit organization that addresses fundamental issues of economic, social, and racial justice and works with people to achieve economic independence.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is a major funder of this campaign through a Fair Housing Education and Outreach grant to the Fair Housing Project of CVOEO.

Required HUD Disclaimer: “The work that provided the basis for this publication was supported by funding under a grant with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The author and publisher are solely responsible for the accuracy of the statements and interpretations contained in this publication. Such interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government.”