Round Up Your Totals at the Registers October 6-12 for Homes First Vermont…The Co-op Will Match Your Donation!
We are so excited to Rally for this local organization that is committed to tackling Addison County’s housing crisis in a very innovative way. If you are not familiar with Homes First VT, please take a moment to hear from them about who they are and what they do:
We are:
- A group of 7 residents who meet regularly to generate and leverage community partnerships to alleviate our housing crisis
- Motivated by the community, not profit. This is not paid work for any of us.
- Committed to housing a person in our county who is unable to afford the market rate.
- Not debt- fund any part of this process, to keep costs low.
- Only interested in helping to build attractive, environmentally, and economically sustainable homes.
- Incorporated as a 501c3, HomesFirstVT. We have a website: https://homesfirstvt.org/
We have strong and collaborative relationships with the area non-profits involved in affordable housing.
HomesFirstVT Long-term vision:
A village of 9-12 ‘right-size’ homes with a community gathering space, situated within walking distance or on the bus line in Addison County. This is very intentionally an alternative to affordable housing developments.
Short-term goal:
To build homes by the community, one by one, funded by the community to offer necessary homes as soon as possible. Hannaford Career Center has agreed to build one per year for as long as HomesFirstVT is the ‘middleman’. We hope to have other voluntary crews building simultaneously, once we receive enough funding.
Our Board of 7-10 members of HomesFirstVT will determine the best resident for this home, ensuring the future viability of this model. We have relationships with the area nonprofits that work in this space; one of our board members works at CSAC and on the Housing Coalition of Addison County. We envision this first home to be lived in by a beloved person working in our community who cannot afford the rent.
HomesFirstVT wants to ensure that this home is allowing a person to live in our county that otherwise is unable to do this. We intend to work with local banks to learn about loan options that might allow for home ownership. Payment received by the renter/owner will be used towards the building of future tiny homes.
For more information, please visit: HomesFirstVT.org