Vermont seeking comment about Hud Programs: Each year the State of Vermont - Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Agency of Human Services and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board receives funding for HUD programs through the Consolidated Plan or Annual Plan update process which identifies priorities based on needs from the housing needs assessment, market analysis, citizen and stakeholder input.  At the end of the program year the state is required to report on the performance outcomes outlined from those plans in their Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER).  They have completed the FY22 Program Year DRAFT CAPER which includes the outcomes for the following programs: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG); and Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV) Emergency Solutions Grant Program CARES Act (ESG-CV).   As a representative for a unit of general local government, please share the attached notice with your local residents including minorities,The state is seeking comments by September 27, 2023.

TEST TW WEATHER

Friends of Vernon Center to preserve historic Governor Hunt House and develop community center

The Friends of Vernon Center (FVC), a nonprofit created in 2017 by residents of Vernon, has been meeting regularly to plan for building a town center. This project, which began in 2016 with a visit from the Vermont Council on Rural Development moved from the formation of the Village Center Committee to the 2017 creation of the FVC.

Entergy Corporation gave the Governor Hunt House and some adjacent property to the FVC in December of 2019. This important, historic site will become an anchor for the proposed village area. Recently, members and supporters of the FVC have been working hard to get the conference center wing ready for a 2021 spring grand opening. The wing will become a multi-purpose community center used for a variety of activities and events, from family parties to trainings, from exercise classes to scout meetings, from fairs to all kinds of celebrations.

We started with cleaning up the grounds—raking leaves, pruning and mulching bushes and trees, cleaning debris off the roofs. Next steps included sprucing up inside the community center itself—cleaning windows, dusting, vacuuming, and removing spider webs, etc. We’ve hired a painter and hope to have the entry area and large meeting room painted this fall. We’ve also gotten a quote to remove the old, worn carpet tiles and replace them with modern vinyl plank flooring. These improvements alone will make those rooms much more pleasant and welcoming.

And now, there is a beautiful, new sign on the front lawn identifying the Governor Hunt House and Community Center. We’re energized by our progress and look forward to inviting you in to see what we’re accomplishing. Stay tuned for future developments or drop in for a preview and update when you see us working on the property. We’d love to share our hopes, plans, and excitement with you.

Interested in joining this effort? Please be in touch with any member of the FVC’s executive committee: Martin LangeveldRoger RulewichKathy KorbTom Rappaport.