Housing in Vermont: Employer-Driven Solutions for Economic Prosperity
Join businesses and housing experts to learn about employer-driven solutions for housing in Vermont!
The link between housing and economic stability is undeniable. Vermont’s housing crisis is impacting all businesses – across the state and industries – and individual Vermonters are being forced to make unthinkable decisions due to a lack of affordable low and middle income housing. Together, the absence of emergency housing, rental units, and single-family homes is affecting our individual and collective prosperity.
So, what’s an employer to do? Businesses across Vermont are developing creative solutions to support their employees and their communities, and you can too! From rental assistance and contributing to down payments for first-time homebuyers to serving on your local housing committee and advocating for state-level policy reform, businesses of every size can contribute to improving housing in Vermont.
Learn how VBSR members are working to ensure equitable access to safe housing in this virtual VBSR Public Policy Forum, including the Vermont Housing and Finance Agency, who will share their recently published “Employer Assisted Housing Guide”. Gain resources to support your employees, as well as opportunities to advocate for housing reform in your communities and the Vermont legislature. We will be joined by a panel of Vermont leaders including:
- Neale Lunderville, President & CEO, VGS
- Chad Simmons, Housing Policy and Engagement Specialist, VHFA
- Becca White, Associate Director of Cooperative Identity, Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society
A Q&A will follow brief presentations from panelists. Bring your questions and creative ideas!
Thank you to our panel!
Neale Lunderville, President & CEO, VGS
Neale F. Lunderville is the President & CEO of VGS. He previously served as General Manager of the Burlington Electric Department, and, prior to that, as Co-Founder and CEO of an energy startup. In 2011, he was appointed by Governor Peter Shumlin to lead Vermont’s recovery efforts in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene. Neale also served in two top cabinet posts for Governor Jim Douglas: Secretary of Administration and Secretary of Transportation. Neale serves as a director on several Vermont and regional boards and is an Honorary Commander for the Vermont Air National Guard. He graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. and was given their 2012 Alumni Achievement award.
Chad Simmons (he/him), Housing Policy and Engagement Specialist, Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA)
Chad Simmons (he/him/his) joined VHFA in January 2021 in the role of Housing Policy and Engagement Specialist. Since joining the agency, Chad leads VHFA's justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts and builds relationships with other housing and community partners. Prior to joining VHFA, Chad spent 15 years as a community organizer and advocate in Windham County working on numerous, but inter-connected issues ranging from early childhood, environmental justice, and community health. Chad lives in Montpelier with his partner Carrie and daughter Ember.
Becca White (She/They), Associate Director of Cooperative Identity, Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society
Rebecca Joy Henrietta White lives and grows nestled among the green mountains of beautiful Bradford, Vermont along the banks of the Waits River. She spends a generous amount of time working in the gardens of her home where projects abound. With Phryne, a 9-year-old Australian Shepherd, Becca loves walking in parks near and far, and dining al fresco. Becca holds a BA in Music and Landscape Studies from Smith College, and is pursuing a Master of Management in Cooperatives & Credit Unions from St. Mary's University in Nova Scotia. For Becca, music and plants are her closest allies and the threads that weave her life experiences together.
In her third role at the organization, Becca is spearheading a new portfolio at the Hanover Co-op to reinvigorate the organization's cooperative identity and non-financial goals within its internal teams and bolster partnerships and cooperation across the Northeast.
Thank you to our sponsor!
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) was established in 1974 to finance and promote affordable, safe and decent housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income Vermonters. Since its inception, VHFA has helped 31,000 primarily first-time home buyers and their families purchase homes. It also provides financing, development and management support, subsidy administration and tax credits for approximately 9,600 affordable apartments statewide. VHFA provides research and data analysis for state and community partners. For more information, visit: vhfa.org.
Are you interested in sponsoring this event? Questions? If so, please contact to Molly Rand at mollyr@vbsr.org.