2003 Consolidated Plan for Housing & Community Development
Institutional Structure, Coordination and Cooperation

The principal features of the housing and community development institutional structure are described below and in the Inventory of Services (Appendix A). A more complete description of the local economic development infrastructure can be found in the Resource Guide for Chittenden County Employers and Employees, most recently revised by the Community & Economic Development Office in February 2003.

Role of Municipal Public Institutions

The housing and community development mission of the City of Burlington is carried out by two municipal corporations (the Burlington Housing Authority and the Burlington Community Development Corporation), several municipal departments, a restricted revenue account established by the City Council (the Burlington Housing Trust Fund), and a municipal board (the Housing Board of Review).

Burlington Community Development Corporation (BCDC)

BCDC was established in 1982 to centralize various important policy initiatives launched by the City in the fields of business development, job training, and housing development. The Board of Directors of the corporation are all members of the City's Board of Finance.

Burlington Housing Authority (BHA)

BHA owns 343 units of conventional public housing and manages an additional 169 privately owned, federally subsidized apartments. BHA is also the administrative agent for 1,711 Section 8 certificates and vouchers. The activities of BHA are overseen by a five-member commission appointed by the Mayor.

Burlington Electric Department (BED)

BED, a nonprofit public power system, provides energy to over 15,000 Burlington residents and over 3,000 commercial customers. BED works to provide affordable energy to residential and commercial consumers.

Burlington Telecom

The Burlington Telecom Project operates a fiber network for city departments and the Burlington School District.

Church Street Marketplace

This City department manages, promotes and maintains the four block pedestrian mall on Church Street. This is a special assessment district whereby the merchants located on the marketplace pay for these additional services.

City Arts

City Arts supports economic and cultural development in the City, including the development of the downtown Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts and helping artists to locate studio/living and performance space.

City Attorney's Office

All legal services related to housing and community development are provided by the City's Attorney's Office. In addition, the City Attorney's Office provides staff support to the Housing Board of Review and serves as the prosecutor to enforce all city ordinances.

Code Enforcement Office

The Code Enforcement Office, created from a reorganized and expanded Minimum Housing Inspection Division, is responsible for coordinating the administration of public health and safety codes in Burlington, especially municipal housing codes that are incorporated in the City's ordinances. Code Enforcement also administers codes associated with housing conditions, including various fire, environmental, health and zoning regulations. Code Enforcement performs around 1,000 routine housing inspections per year and around 1,000 complaint-based inspections per year.

Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO)

Established in 1983, CEDO is organized into three divisions:  Economic Development, Community Development and Housing.  The mission of the Housing Division, as defined by the City Council, is “to development, coordinate, and administer a comprehensive program to address the City’s housing needs.”  The Housing Division supports the preservation and production efforts of a local network of nonprofit housing organizations through funding for program delivery and technical assistance in identifying project sites and project packaging.   CEDO also administers the Housing Initiatives Program[1] and the Housing Trust Fund.  CEDO monitors contract compliance for a number of federally funded housing projects and assists Planning & Zoning in enforcing ordinances such as Inclusionary Zoning, Housing Preservation and Replacement and Impact fee waivers.  In concert with the City Attorney’s Office, CEDO administers the Condominium Conversion ordinance [2].  CEDO also works with the Code Enforcement Office and the Department of Public Works on housing issues.

CEDO’s Economic Development Division provides general financial and technical assistance to small and large businesses, with targeted assistance to employers providing livable wage jobs and to businesses playing a key role to downtown vitality and in the South End; helps to develop affordable space for small and micro businesses; runs a revolving loan fund providing gap financing to small and micro businesses; and helps to redevelop the waterfront and vacant / abandoned property.  CEDO’s Community Development Division oversees the AmeriCorps*VISTA program, which provides literacy services to children and supports the capacity of local nonprofits to meet community needs; Neighborhood Services, which supports the Neighborhood Planning Assemblies, Burlington Neighborhood Project and neighborhood associations; and the Community Justice Center, which helps Burlington citizens learn about conflict resolution and develop the skills to resolve disputes, applying restorative justice principles (outside or in partnership with the traditional criminal and civil court process), and supports transition into the community for incarcerated offenders. CEDO provides funding support (through the City’s CDBG program) and technical assistance to a number of the City’s nonprofit service delivery organizations.

Department of Parks & Recreation

The Department of Parks & Recreation develops and rehabilitates recreational space; creates attractive greenspaces along city streets; manages the Burlington harbor; plans and coordinates community gardens; and runs recreational programs serving low and moderate income residents in the City.

Department of Planning & Zoning

The Department of Planning & Zoning is the municipal agency which has the principal responsibility for regulating new development in Burlington.  Planning & Zoning plays a key role with respect to housing in (1) preserving existing affordable housing through the City’s Housing Replacement Ordinance[3] and (2) promoting the production of new affordable housing through the City’s Inclusionary Zoning[4] and mini-Act 250[5] ordinances, and through density bonuses for elderly housing (allowing the development of larger projects such as the Heineberg Senior Housing project), zoning amendments for special needs populations, impact fee waivers and parking waivers for affordable housing (especially in the Central Business District and other high-density neighborhoods).

Department of Public Works (DPW)

DPW is responsible for the public infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, water and sewage) in the City. DPW operates the City's parking lots and the City's wastewater facilities, and administers the Vacant Building ordinance.[6]

Fletcher Free Library

The City's public library offers a variety of literacy activities for both adults and children, including English as a Second Language, and operates a public access computer center.

Housing Trust Fund

Established in 1989 by municipal ordinance, this restricted account is capitalized through the property tax and impact fees. Funds may only be used for grants or loans to nonprofit organizations or projects that promote perpetually affordable housing. Disbursements are approved by a committee composed of CEDO's Director, a member of the City Council, and an appointee of the Mayor.

Housing Board of Review

A security deposit ordinance was enacted in 1986 to regulate the collection and return of renters'' security deposits. The Housing Board of Review, appointed by the City Council, adjudicates landlord-tenant disputes under this ordinance. The Housing Board of Review also functions as a "court of appeals" for minimum housing code violations.

Police Department

The Burlington Police Department has a very active community policing strategy which has demonstrably reduced crime levels in lower-income Old North End neighborhoods. The Police Department works with the Community & Economic Development Office on the Community Support Program (which uses mediation or other alternative dispute resolution practices to deescalate conflicts before a crime is committed), the Community Justice Center (alternative / restorative justice programs), the Burlington Neighborhood Project (formerly the Public Safety Project), and the "Hiring in the Spirit of Service" project (recruiting and hiring a diverse pool of officers).

Role of State and Regional Public Institutions

The City of Burlington relies on several state agencies in carrying out its housing mission. The most important of these historically have been the Vermont Housing Finance Agency, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and the Department of Housing and Community Affairs. These institutions are described briefly below; full descriptions are available in the State of Vermont's Consolidated Plan.

Agency of Commerce & Community Development

This state agency contain two departments which play a key role in housing and community development:

Department of Housing & Community Affairs (DHCA)

DHCA is responsible for community development, housing and local and regional planning. It administers the Vermont Community Development Program, the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program and the state Housing Investment Tax Credit Program, and sections of the Mobile Home Park Law, and oversees the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME). The Historic Preservation Division reviews state and federally funded projects and administers the federal Historic Preservation Investment Tax Credit program and the State Historic Preservation Grants.

Department of Economic Development

This department works with state, regional, local, public and private partners to create quality jobs, encourage competitive businesses and ensure a healthy and sustainable economy.

Agency of Human Services (AHS)

AHS helps to address the needs of lower income households, the homeless and special needs populations through the State Office of Economic Opportunity (administering the Emergency Community Services Homeless Grant, the Emergency Shelter Grant Program, FEMA, Community Services Block Grants, and Weatherization), the Department of Aging and Disabilities, the Department of Health, the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, the State Refugee Coordinator, the Department of Social Welfare, the Department of Corrections, and the Office of Crime Victim Services.

Agency of Transportation (AOT) - now VTRANS

VTRANS supports community development projects through the Transportation Enhancement Program and the Surface Transportation Program. VTRANS funding is supporting the North Street Revitalization Project.

Department of Employment and Training (DET)

DET administers programs and activities which include helping job seekers enter the workforce; providing subsidized employment for targeted sectors of the population (low-income residents, persons with disabilities, welfare recipients); assisting employers in filling job openings with qualified candidates; providing organizations, and individuals with comprehensive labor market information; providing a partial income replacement to experienced workers while they seek new jobs; and establishing transitional training experiences for those individuals who need these interventions in order to return to productive employment. The department also serves as the primary source of economic statistics to the federal government, state, counties, and municipalities.

Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA)

VEDA administers the Job Start Program, which provides small loans to low-income Vermonters to start, strengthen or expand a small business. VEDA also provides low cost financing for industry and tourism related businesses.

Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB)

The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board is an independent, state-supported funding agency which provides grants, loans and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations, municipalities and state agencies for the development of perpetually affordable housing and for the conservation of important agricultural land, recreational land, natural areas and historic properties in Vermont. VHCB also administers federal funds through different housing and conservation programs, including the HOME and Lead Paint Hazard Reduction Programs.

Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA)

VHFA finances and promotes affordable housing opportunities for low­ and moderate­income Vermonters, funded principally through the sale of tax-exempt and taxable bonds. VHFA operates a homeownership program offering mortgage financing programs with the cooperation of banks, mortgage companies and credit unions throughout Vermont. VHFA assists nonprofit and private developers to construct and rehabilitate affordable rental housing through other financing opportunities, including the Low Income Housing Tax Credit.

Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA)

In addition to state institutions, the Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA) plays an important role in the City's housing and community development efforts. CCTA was founded in 1973 by the Vermont Legislature and provides transit services in seven communities in Chittenden County. CCTA is a full service public transportation provider, offering services including: fixed route bus service; parking lot, supermarket and school shuttles, a county-wide ridesharing program, transportation for Medicaid recipients and contracted paratransit service for people who cannot use the bus. CCTA is governed by a ten member Board of Commissioners with two Commissioners each representing Burlington, Essex, Shelburne, South Burlington and Winooski - member municipalities which provide local subsidies to the agency through property tax revenues.

Role of Federal Public Institutions

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)

CNCS supports the City of Burlington's AmeriCorps*VISTA program through the placement of A*VISTA members at area non-profit agencies that work on anti-poverty initiatives throughout the City.

Department of Commerce - Economic Development Administration (EDA)

EDA has provided funding for major community development projects in the City, including the Lakeview (Filene's) parking garage.

Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)

HUD administers the Consolidated Development Block Grant program on a national basis and awards grants to entitlement communities - including the City of Burlington - each year on a formula basis. The City in turn awards grants to local nonprofits as well as operating several CDBG programs. HUD also provides technical assistance and training, collects and disseminates housing and community development information, and monitors the City's performance.

HUD administers a number of additional programs from which City residents benefit, including the HOME program; the Emergency Shelter Block Grant and McKinney Act Homeless programs (which help to fund Continuum of Care providers); Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers; the Community Outreach Partnership Centers; and Special Purpose grants (which have assisted a number of major projects such as the McClure MultiGenerational Center, the ECHO at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Flynn Theatre improvements, the Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts and the Central Market).

Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP)

OJP has provided funding for the creation of restorative and alternative justice programs in the City. Local Law Enforcement Block Grants (LLEBG) support the Burlington Neighborhood Project, the Community Justice Center, the Burlington Police Department, and a number of local nonprofits.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA has provided funding for several initiatives which have been important to the City's economic and community development objectives, including the Brownfields Pilot Program, which helps the City to redevelop vacant industrial land; the Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) program, which has allowed the City to begin establishing an ongoing environmental monitoring system; and the Sustainable Development Challenge grant program, which allowed the City to develop a 30-year vision through the Legacy Project.

Small Business Administration (SBA)

The SBA offers loan guarantees and other programs for small businesses. It also partners with Vermont colleges and universities on the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which provides management assistance for small businesses, promotes and develops small businesses and offers business counseling, and sponsors the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a network of experienced businesspeople providing small business owners with advice on business planning and management.

Role of Local Nonprofit Organizations

Since 1983, the City of Burlington has dedicated a large portion of its housing and community development resources to establishing and supporting a network of nonprofit organizations to act as the City's partner in producing and preserving affordable housing and protecting the City's most vulnerable residents. This nonprofit infrastructure functions as the principal housing and social services delivery system through which the City moves towards its goals for affordable housing and for alleviating and reducing poverty. Several nonprofit organizations also play an important role in the City's economic development mission. The organizations described below represent some of the City's nonprofit partners; others appear in the Inventory of Services (Appendix A). 

Burlington Community Land Trust (BCLT)

BCLT is a nonprofit membership organization which provides access to affordable housing for low and moderate income households and promotes neighborhood revitalization. BCLT develops, owns and/or operates a range of housing options and community facilities, including shared equity homeownership, community homes for persons with special needs, a shelter, transitional housing, limited equity cooperatives, and affordable rentals. The NeighborWorks Homeownership Center is a program of the Burlington Community Land Trust dedicated to expanding homeownership opportunities to residents of the Champlain Valley. The services of the Homeownership Center, which are open to all residents of the Champlain Valley, include homebuyer education, credit and budgeting counseling and financial assistance. Customers who are income eligible and mortgage ready may be eligible for financial assistance to help with down payment and closing costs.

Burlington Business Association (BBA)

BBA is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to maintain and enhance the economic vitality of the Burlington Central Business District and the waterfront.

Cathedral Square, Inc.

Cathedral Square is a nonprofit developer and manager of rental housing for the elderly and persons with disabilities. Its two largest housing projects in Burlington are 3 Cathedral Square and Heineberg Senior Housing. Cathedral Square also developed and manages a 16-unit apartment building for people with chronic mental illness. Cathedral Square is also a partner in McAuley Square, a 74-unit complex serving elders, single mothers attending college and parenting teens involved with the Lund Family Center.

Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity / Chittenden Community Action (CVOEO/CCA)

CVOEO/CCA is one of five community action agencies serving low income residents in Vermont. It provides information, referral and advocacy services through Vermont Tenants, Inc., and fair housing services through the Fair Housing Project. CVOEO/CCA also operates a weatherization program for low-income households, an emergency heat program, the Housing Assistance Program, the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf, the Head Start program and a Micro Business Development Program.

Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS)

COTS is the nonprofit sponsor of three emergency shelters (the Waystation and two Family Shelters), a transitional housing program for homeless families (Families in Transition), and a multi-service drop-in shelter for the homeless (the Daystation). COTS owns 40 units of permanent SRO housing (the Wilson Hotel and St. John's Hall), which are managed by the Burlington Housing Authority.

Greater Burlington Industrial Corporation (GBIC)

GBIC is a nonprofit regional development corporation which fosters industrial and economic growth in Chittenden County. Its Board of Directors includes the chief elected offices of the region's communities and the top officials of many of the area's leading businesses.

Howard Center for Human Services

The Howard Center for Human Services provides community-based and residential programs serving the mentally ill and developmental disabled, as well as substance abuse and child and family care programs. Howard owns several group homes for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

Lake Champlain Housing Development Corporation (LCHDC)

LCHDC is a nonprofit developer of family-sized rental housing created through rehabilitation and new construction, as well as SROs, mobile home parks, housing cooperatives and condominiums. LCHDC also provides property management and maintenance services for over 1000 affordable housing units.

Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber of Commerce develops, coordinates and sustains a regional network of educational and career opportunities through the School-to-Work collaborative and promotes a healthy economic environment in the region.

Northgate Housing, Inc.

Northgate Housing, Inc. is the tenant-controlled owner of 336 units of rental housing, constructed in the late 1960's under the HUD 221(d)(3) program and rehabilitated in 1989 with public and private funds.

South End Arts & Business Association

Formerly the Pine Street Arts & Business Association, this organization preserves and promotes the artistic and economic viability of the "South End" of Burlington, including providing technical assistance and linking arts and technical-based businesses.

Spectrum Youth and Family Services

Spectrum operates a 12-bed shelter for homeless youth and offers a range of services including food, clothing, case management, and support in long range living options.

United Way 

The United Way of Chittenden County works in partnership with businesses, schools, government, non-profit agencies, religious organizations, volunteers and donors to meet the human care needs. United Way raises and distributes charitable contributions through a citizen review process, encourages collaborative approaches to community problem-solving, fosters volunteerism and provides training in nonprofit and volunteer management.

Vermont Legal Aid / Volunteer Lawyers Project

Legal Aid provides no-cost legal services in civil matters to low-income people in danger of losing their housing through lack of income, loss of income or unjustified eviction. The Volunteer Lawyers Project recruits and coordinates private lawyers who volunteer their services to low-income people of need of legal assistance.

Women's Small Business Program

The Women's Small Business Program, formerly run by Trinity College and now a program of Mercy Connections, Inc., provides entrepreneurial training and mentoring and support opportunities to clients interested in building economic self-sufficiency through business ownership.

YouthBuild Burlington

YouthBuild Burlington is a comprehensive job training, education and leadership development program for young adults age 16 through 24, most of whom have not completed high school. YouthBuild teaches young adults construction skills as they renovate or build housing for low-income families in the community and study to earn a GED, high school or adult diploma.

Role of Statewide Nonprofit Organizations

Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity

Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that constructs or renovates decent affordable houses in partnership with families who currently live in unfit, indecent, inhuman conditions and have no possibility of obtaining a home through any conventional means. They are able to make homeownership affordable to very low-income families by using a combination of volunteer labor, donated materials and government grants for land or infrastructure.

Housing Vermont

Housing Vermont is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization founded in May of 1988 for the purpose of producing permanently affordable housing for Vermonters through partnerships with nonprofit groups and the private sector. The agency raises private equity by selling federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits.

Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL)

VCIL is a statewide nonprofit managed and staffed by persons with diverse disabilities, providing support with solving problems related to housing, legal and civil rights, living with a disability, adaptive equipment, attendant care, transportation, employment, community support education, community accessibility, recreation, communication and benefit programs through peer advocacy counselors.

Vermont Community Loan Fund (VCLF)

VCLF is a nonprofit financial intermediary providing access to capital for affordable housing, community facilities and small businesses.

Vermont Development Credit Union (VDCU)

A statewide Community Development Financial Institution, VDCU offers retail banking services, consumer loans, mortgages and small business loans. VCDU serves as the bank for thousands of low-income Burlington residents.

Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC)

VEIC promotes and implements energy efficiency programs for low-income households, municipalities and businesses.

Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC)

VMEC helps small and medium size manufacturers improve their operations, modernize processes, increase productivity, introduce new technologies, reduce costs and become more competitive.

Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program (VRRP)

VRRP provides a variety of federally, state and privately funded services to eligible refugees, including reception and placement services, case management, employment services, ESL (English as a Second Language) and citizenship program (including community, job-site and children's ESL classes), PRISM (Professional Resources for Interpreter Services and Multilingualism), the NAVIGATOR Project (a program for refugee-specific social adjustment and mental health services), immigration assistance and family reunification, volunteer development, resettlement community development, sponsorship training and development and community education programs.

Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR)

VSBR fosters a business ethic that recognizes the opportunity and responsibility of the business community to set a high standard for protecting the natural, human and economic environments of Vermont's citizens.

Vermont Sustainable Job Fund (VSJF)

VSJF, created in 1995 by the state legislature, provides grants and technical assistance to Vermont businesses and organizations with a particular focus on agricultural and forest products and environmental technology.

Role of Faith-Based Organizations

A number of local faith-based organizations assist in meeting the emergency needs of homeless and low-income residents through meal programs and assistance with clothing, shelter, utilities and other basic needs. These organizations and/or their affiliated programs also help to develop housing and transportation opportunities. These organizations include Cathedral Square Corporation, Lutheran Social Services of New England, Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, the Burlington Ecumenical Action Ministry, the Joint Urban Ministry Project, Mercy Connections, and the Burlington Emergency Shelter.

Role of the Private Sector

The roles that private industry can and does play in the helping the City to meet its affordable housing goals include:

Services for Nonprofit Housing Developers

None of the nonprofit housing organizations supported by the City have their own construction companies, architects, engineers or lawyers. Private industry provides these skills and services on a fee-for-service basis to actually complete housing projects, with the facilitation of nonprofit developers.

Developing Inclusionary Units

Private developers of residential projects are required to produce affordable units under the City's Inclusionary Zoning ordinance.

Local Attorneys

Private attorneys provide pro bono legal services to low-income tenants who are converting their building to co-op ownership or purchasing shares in an existing cooperative.

The private sector supports and/or complements the City's community development efforts in a number of ways:

Local Lenders

Burlington's banks have responded to a changing market and changing obligations under the federal Community Reinvestment Act by finding a number of innovative ways of support new housing models, new housing organizations and new approaches to affordable housing production. Local lenders also support neighborhood revitalization and small business development.

Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae is a private, shareholder-owned company operating under a congressional charter with private capital. Fannie Mae will purchase up to $10 million of the end loans originated by local lenders through the Burlington HomeOwnership Program, which uses many of Fannie Mae's community lending tools that focus on various flexible mortgage options designed to increase homeownership, such as lower down payment requirements and flexible underwriting, and involve home-buyer education and counseling provided by nonprofit organizations.

Business Community

The Burlington business community has been actively represented on most community advisory committees. They have provided resources and opportunities for residents to improve their quality of life.

Coordination of Services

Coordination and integration of housing and community development services in the City is achieved through a variety of vehicles:

Burlington Anti-Racism Coalition (BARC)

BARC is an open group of community members, faith-based organizations, state and city officials, and others who meet regularly to look at racism issues in the community and to plan strategies to address those issues, including new legislation, community study circles, walks and rallies, and merchant anti-profiling initiatives.

Burlington Transportation & Parking Council

The Council is a public/private partnership which works to improve transportation from and within Burlington's core and to provide adequate and appropriately price parking for the City's visitors, employees and residents.

Champlain Initiative

The Champlain Initiative is a community-based initiative in Chittenden County for sharing information, monitoring progress according to specific indicators, collaboratively working on important community issues, and developing a process for influencing how human and financial resources are directed so as to strengthen the social, economic, cultural, spiritual and individual vitality of the greater Chittenden County region. The Initiative includes people from the business and religious communities, government (including the City of Burlington), health care, education, human services, media, the arts, law enforcement, environmentalism, youth, seniors, and consumer and community advocacy groups.

Champlain Long Term Care Coalition

A group of care providers, advocates, consumers of services, municipal representatives and other interested individuals has received a planning grant to begin to improve systems in order to be prepared for long term needs in the future.

Chittenden County Conflict Resolution

Representatives from municipalities, private non-profit agencies and the State of Vermont that conduct conflict resolution, court diversion or alternative justice programs in Chittenden County meet monthly to discuss program overlap and marketing of services to the community and local law enforcement agencies.

Chittenden County Continuum of Care Alliance

Continuum of Care services for the homeless are delivered through a consortium of nonprofit organizations in the greater Burlington metropolitan area, with the Committee on Temporary Shelter serving as the coordinating entity. The Chittenden County Continuum of Care Alliance (Continuum Alliance) coordinates services for families, youth and single adults who are homeless; works collaboratively to ensure comprehensive and quality services and to obtain and allocate resources; and advocates for the homeless.

The Continuum of Care meets monthly. Membership is open to all community-based agencies in Chittenden County who provide direct services and/or housing to people who are homeless or are at imminent risk of becoming homeless.

Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO)

The CCMPO is a planning organization that directs the allocation of federal transportation funds, provides planning oversight and grants in Chittenden County. The CCMPO has professional staff and a technical advisory committee, and is guided by a 17-member board with a representative from each of the 17 communities.

Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission

The Regional Planning Commission develops and administers the Regional Plan and certifies that new development is consistent with that Plan in the Act 250 process.

Chittenden County Substance Abuse Coalition

Major substance abuse service providers in the county, and the state Departments of Corrections and Social Rehabilitation Services, meet regularly.

Community Outreach Partnership Center

Using a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, the University of Vermont and the City are working with the community (and particularly with the Old North End community) to further develop community leadership and to improve access to affordable housing and economic opportunities.

Early Childhood Council (CONNECTION) of Chittenden County

The Early Childhood CONNECTION meets monthly to coordinate educational and human services for families of young children in their region. It includes parents and other family members, child care providers and directors, representatives from the District Health Office, Child Care Resource and Referral, Parent Child Centers, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs, local community centers, public schools (including special education service providers), family advocacy organizations, Baird Center for Children and Families (the state mental health agency), Champlain Valley Head Start, Women Helping Battered Women and other related services, businesses, libraries, Visiting Nurse Association, and others.

"Gang of Eight"

The Community & Economic Development Office convenes a monthly meeting of nonprofit housing developers and advocates to share information, discuss City policies and ensure the efficient use of public resources.

Old North End Storefront

A collaboration of programs serving the Old North End funded through the State of Vermont Department of Corrections.  A community drop-in center where agencies share space and collaborate to provide community forums, counseling groups and youth activities.

Refugee Service Providers Network (RSPNet)

The State Refugee Coordinator from the Vermont Agency of Human Services, the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program and other agencies providing services to refugees in the local area meet monthly.

Workforce Investment Board (WIB)

The WIB is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the implementation of regional workforce development strategies. Its membership includes education and training providers, employers, and state and local government.

Cooperative Initiatives

Current community development-related cooperative initiatives in the City include:

• the Rental Opportunity Center, a partnership of the Burlington Housing Authority and the Committee on Temporary Shelter, is a "one-stop shop" for low-income individuals and families (located in an accessible storefront office in Burlington) which provides a central database for assisted and affordable housing, available private market units, voice mail boxes for the homeless, transportation assistance, information on "Healthy Homes," and other resources.
• the Duplex HomeOwnership Program, a joint initiative of the City's Housing Initiatives Program and the Neighborworks®HomeOwnership Center, to encourage owner-occupied duplexes and reduce the incidence of absentee landlords;
• the Burlington's HomeOwnership Program (BHOP), a joint initiative of the City, the Burlington Community Land Trust, the Vermont Development Credit Union, and Fannie Mae and local lenders to make specific mortgage options available to low- and moderate-income families who want to purchase homes in Burlington.
• the Homeless Healthcare Project, an interagency project designed to provide comprehensive and coordinated primary health care to homeless individuals and families.
• through the Truancy Task Force, the United Way of Chittenden County and the Burlington School District bring together area agencies to deter student truancy.  Utilizing a spectrum of restorative, social service, educational and court interventions, the group has significantly reduced the percentage of truant students.
• the Burlington Legacy Project involved hundreds of individuals who live, work and play in the City in planning for the economic, social and environmental health of the community over the next 30 years. The project developed a 30 year plan for becoming a more sustainable city and is working with major community stakeholders on actions to implement this common vision. The project is guided by a stakeholders Steering Committee including representation from the University, Fletcher Allen Hospital, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, city and state government, neighborhoods, youth, business and nonprofit organizations.
• the Facilitative Leadership Training Program, a partnership of the Snelling Institute, the City and the Community Outreach Partnership Center, offers a three-day intensive leadership development program to citizens, city government and community leaders.

Strengths and Weaknesses in the Housing & Community Development Delivery System

Strengths in the existing system for housing development and housing services in the City include:

• A diverse nonprofit infrastructure and a revitalized public housing authority with the capacity to acquire, rehabilitate, construct and manage an expanding supply of perpetually affordable housing.
• Alternate forms of tenure (limited equity single home and cooperative models) that bridge the gap between for-profit rentals and market-priced homeownership.
• A network of federal, state and local funding sources that support these nonprofit organizations and non-speculative models.
• A network of federal, state and local funding sources that support the nonprofit service organizations.
• Collaboration, commitment, enthusiasm and experience in effective delivery models.
• Dedication to meeting people's needs, with a flexible, client-centered approach.
• A system which cultivates and fosters community leaders.
• Efficient, entrepreneurial programming.

Weaknesses in the existing system include:

• The year-to-year unpredictability of operational funding for the nonprofit infrastructure.
• Needs and demand that exceed available resources.
• Uncertain state and federal funding.
• Funding which is regionally disproportionate, i.e., some municipalities bear a disproportionate burden or fail to contribute resources proportionate to services provided.
• Differing levels of management and development experience from agency to agency.
• Private sector partners who are not always well-informed on low-income and poverty issues.

Overcoming Gaps in the Housing and Community Development Delivery System

Community members, service providers, and government officials are concerned about their continued ability to access the resources necessary to meet the growing needs of City residents, especially those residents with very low and low incomes. Many federal and state funding sources are being cut or otherwise restricted, and it is not expected that private and foundation giving can make up the losses. The City will continue to work to strengthen and support the capacity of local organizations to meet community needs and to be proactive in developing strategies to help meet the changing needs of local service providers.

Over the past seven years, full-time Americorps*VISTA members have provided 175 service years to support and implement anti-poverty and literacy strategies in the City, leveraging $3.5 million in grants and engaging close to 10,000 residents in community projects and programs. The City will continue to coordinate and support an AmeriCorps*VISTA program that will work to enhance the ability of non-profit agencies to develop and sustain services to low-income residents. The City will also continue to provide the technical assistance (facilitation, strategic planning, collaborative grant development support, leadership training) necessary to help agencies collaborate and coordinate to effectively and efficiently provide services to residents.

Regional coordination of economic development efforts has been less effective than it could be. A step toward overcoming that gap would be to establish a regional network of economic development organizations.

Page last updated May 13, 2003