SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – On Thursday, Nov. 17 from 6–7:30 p.m. at Town Hall and via Zoom, the Declaration of Inclusion Implementation Committee will host a special informational meeting on housing. All are invited to attend to learn about the efforts of local and state agencies to address the housing crisis; to discover resources available to property owners and renters; and to ask questions of invited experts.
The meeting will offer Springfield residents the opportunity to hear how local, state, and federal non-profits and government agencies are working to address the housing crisis and to access resources relevant to their own situations. This is a chance to become better informed about the challenges and opportunities faced by our town in the realm of housing. The committee hopes that tenants, homeowners, landlords, unhoused persons, elected and appointed officials, town staff, and youth come to learn about programs that may be useful to them.
Invited speakers will include representatives from Ascutney Regional Commission, Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity Fair Housing Project, Springfield Housing Authority, Springfield Supported Housing, Vermont Housing Finance Agency, and Windham and Windsor Housing Trust. Topics will include fair housing; grant programs; and informational resources available to renters, homeowners, landlords, and municipalities.
Nondiscriminatory access to decent and affordable housing is a basic requirement for a welcoming and inclusive community. The Inclusion Committee believes that sharing information about existing programs and opportunities in the realm of housing will help the Town of Springfield to live up to the pledge in the town’s 2022 Declaration of Inclusion, which states that “all persons regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, and disability are welcome in Springfield.”