Downstreet Housing Ready to Help Lamoille County – Once Erroneous Eviction Notices Are Corrected
Residents of Jeffersonville's senior housing complex, Mann’s Meadow, which is managed by Downstreet, received 'notice to terminate tenancy' letters even if they were not in arrears.
As Lamoille County grapples with an acute housing shortage, the landscape of affordable housing is being redrawn. Downstreet Housing & Community Development, a Barre-based nonprofit, is finalizing a merger with the Lamoille Housing Partnership (LHP), absorbing its portfolio and staff. The move, driven by a leadership transition at LHP and the promise of greater financial muscle, aims to accelerate the creation of much-needed housing. However, the transition has not been without its challenges, revealing the complexities of merging operations and the delicate nature of communicating with residents who depend on these essential services.
The "Why" Behind the Merger: A Story of Opportunity and Necessity
The decision to merge was not made lightly. It was born from a combination of strategic opportunity and practical necessity. According to documents from the Town of Stowe, a key driver was a "leadership vacuum" at the Lamoille Housing Partnership. This "vacuum" was created by the retirement of LHP's longtime Executive Director, Jim Lovinsky, as noted in a Lamoille Community House newsletter. The LHP board, after what a Stowe manager's report described as "difficulties in their previous recruitment effort for an Executive Director," saw a partnership with the larger, more robust Downstreet as a path to stability and growth.
For Downstreet, the merger represents a significant expansion. "Not only are we operating existing affordable housing in Lamoille County but also making sure that we have the capacity to continue to develop there," Downstreet's executive director, Angie Harbin, told the News & Citizen. The organization, which is roughly double the size of LHP, has a greater capacity to compete for and manage the complex federal grants that are the lifeblood of affordable housing development. This increased capacity is central to the hopes of many in the county.
By the Numbers: A Sobering Look at Lamoille's Housing Deficit
The urgency for this new approach is starkly illustrated by the data. The article correctly identifies a significant portion of Lamoille County households as "cost-burdened," spending over 30% of their income on housing. However, a deeper dive into the 2025-2029 Vermont Housing Needs Assessment, published by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), paints an even more detailed picture.
According to the VHFA assessment, Lamoille County needs an estimated 860 new homes by 2030 to meet demand. The report highlights that the county has a rental vacancy rate of just 1.7%, far below the 5% rate of a healthy market. For the county's lowest-income renters—those earning less than $35,000 a year—there are only 33 affordable and available units for every 100 households. This data underscores that the need is not just for more housing, but for deeply affordable housing accessible to all segments of the community.
Navigating the Transition: Lessons from Mann's Meadow
The transition has not been seamless, as evidenced by recent events at the Mann’s Meadow senior housing complex in Jeffersonville. Residents received "notice to terminate tenancy" letters, causing significant alarm, particularly as the notices were sent to tenants who were not in arrears on their rent.
Harbin acknowledged the misstep, attributing it to incomplete information inherited from a previous property management company that had abruptly ended its services. "It’s a very alarming notification to receive," she conceded, explaining that the issue was quickly rectified once it came to light.
This incident, while unsettling for residents, highlights a critical challenge in such mergers: the integration of different management systems and communication styles. It serves as a potent reminder of the need for proactive and transparent communication with tenants, who are the most vulnerable stakeholders in these transitions.
The Promise of New Projects: Hopes Pinned on Stowe and Johnson
With the merger nearing completion, all eyes are on Downstreet's potential to kickstart new development. In Stowe, a town known for its high property values and acute shortage of workforce housing, the Housing Task Force has identified Downstreet as a potential key partner. According to the task force's meeting minutes, they see Downstreet as a candidate to administer a community land trust or operate new affordable housing projects, bringing proven expertise to the town's efforts.
In Johnson, there is talk of a potential partnership between Downstreet and DEW Construction. While specific plans have yet to be formalized, the collaboration is a logical one. A letter of interest from DEW to the City of Barre for a separate project details a successful history of partnering with Downstreet on affordable housing developments. This established relationship could be leveraged to pursue a portion of the $67 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds recently announced by the state. A significant portion of these funds is earmarked for creating new housing outside of floodplains in communities hit hard by the July 2023 floods, including parts of Lamoille County.
The Funding Maze: Navigating State and Federal Realities
The success of these potential projects hinges on funding, a landscape that is both promising and uncertain. The influx of CDBG-DR money and the state's continued commitment to housing through the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) offer significant opportunities. The VHCB's budget for the coming fiscal years, while not at the peak levels seen during the pandemic, remains robust.
The article's mention of uncertainty around federal funding "amid the disruption of the Trump administration" touches on a real concern for housing advocates. However, the reality is more nuanced. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), federal housing budgets are subject to a wide range of political and economic pressures, regardless of the administration in power. The president's annual budget proposal is just the starting point for a long and often contentious appropriations process in Congress. While political shifts can certainly impact funding priorities, the core federal housing programs have historically received bipartisan support. The challenge for organizations like Downstreet is to remain nimble and prepared to navigate these shifting currents to maximize the resources available for Vermonters.
Looking Ahead: Building a Foundation for the Future
The merger of Downstreet and the Lamoille Housing Partnership marks a new era for affordable housing in Lamoille County. It brings the promise of new resources, new expertise, and new homes for a community in desperate need. But as the experience at Mann's Meadow shows, the path forward requires more than just financial capacity. It requires a deep commitment to community engagement, transparent communication, and a resident-centered approach. The ultimate success of this new chapter will be measured not just in the number of units built, but in the strength and stability of the communities they help to create.