CRAFTSBURY – Together, we can move the needle on addressing Vermont’s housing crisis and ensure our rural towns remain places where families and businesses can thrive.
Vermont is facing a housing crisis. The lack of affordable housing is making it increasingly difficult for young families, seniors and essential workers to remain in our communities.
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In the Northeast Kingdom, this crisis is especially pronounced, with rising housing costs, limited availability and the added challenge of lower return on investment and more constrained capacity in rural towns.
One innovative model making a real difference in our region is the Northern Forest Center’s redevelopment of the historic 1909 Armory and Community Dance Hall at 560 Railroad Street in St. Johnsbury. This project is an example of how we can transform underutilized spaces into vibrant, community-centered hubs that provide much-needed middle-market housing while preserving our local history.
The Northern Forest Center has been a leader in building vibrant communities across the Northern Forest region for decades, and in recent years, they’ve expanded their work to address the housing gap. Their approach is a promising one.
In 2017, the center began redeveloping underused properties to provide homes for young professionals and families who will contribute to rural communities. The center’s model combines impact investing and philanthropic gifts, leveraging resources such as Vermont’s 10% for Vermont funds, tax credits, public grants and private donations.
These combined resources are essential to making these transformations possible. This is the kind of model that other communities in Vermont should look to as we seek solutions to the state’s housing challenges.
The 560 Railroad Street project will include nine one- to three-bedroom units and two commercial spaces. With construction already underway, this historic building is on the verge of becoming a vibrant space for local businesses, artists, and community members.
These combined resources are essential to making these transformations possible. This is the kind of model that other communities in Vermont should look to as we seek solutions to the state’s housing challenges.
I encourage Vermonters to learn more about the 560 Railroad Street redevelopment and support initiatives like this one that will create a brighter future for our communities.
Already, the center has work underway or completed on 80 new housing units in places like Millinocket, Bethel and Greenville, Me; Lancaster, N.H.; St. Johnsbury and Tupper Lake and Elizabethtown, N.Y. These projects are more than just buildings, they represent new life for rural towns, attracting young families and professionals who will help these communities thrive for generations to come.
Together, we can move the needle on addressing Vermont’s housing crisis and ensure that our rural towns remain places where families and businesses can thrive.
For more information, visit the Northern Forest Center’s website.
