Note from Outreach Staff:
An unanticipated kindness came across my email this Friday morning. As the Outreach staff, I’m on the Brattleboro Front Porch Forum listserv to post openings and opportunities. I enjoy skimming through the daily posts to see what else is percolating in town; who’s offering perennials, who’s posting a resource, who could be connected to our resources, who’s offering a note of gratitude to their neighbors etc. The normal Front Porch Forum content. Today, however, I saw “Affordable Housing in Brattleboro” and thought- “well this is topical, I wonder if we’re mentioned.”
I truly did not anticipate what was posted under the header: a kind note of testimonial from a resident who lives in our building 9 Canal. The team has worked really hard with these residents on this property. This has included restorative circles facilitated by Interaction, collaboration with Southern Vermont Aids Project, alarming an overused side entrance, coordination with the Police Department’s BRAT team, and community building like the spaghetti supper held last night. To see the results acknowledged from this resident’s perspective is a real gift. I immediately emailed him directly to thank him for sharing his thoughts. In a time when there is so much focus on what is hard, what is not working, what challenges feel unsurmountable, it’s so important to lift up what does work and how much good there is in this community. Mark, thank you so much for bringing this statement to the community commentary.
Please read Mark’s words copied directly from Front Porch Forum below.
Affordable Housing in Brattleboro
Mark Raymond • Canal St, Brattleboro
This is a unsolicited statement. I have been working and living in Brattleboro since the early 1990s. My financial situation had changed and because of becoming disabled I needed to find an affordable handicap friendly place to live. I’ve been living in an apartment managed by Windham Windsor Housing Trust since 2017. I have found Windham Windsor Housing Trust to be a supportive organization that has been getting a lot of negativity in last few years.
Yes, they have been experiencing growing pains as these hard working people are trying to provide Housing for the many people needing proper housing. Even with the lock down and limited means to acquire the equipment for repairs, resulting from the pandemic, WWHT has worked hard to get issues addressed. I have seen that all the people who work for WWHT continue to work hard at providing quality Housing.
They are a large organization that have taken on many Housing programs and sadly [I] find more people remember the few bad apples that provide much media interest. Living here at 9 Canal Street in the last few months it has returned to the family and community friendly place as it was when I first moved here. If you are looking for a nice living environment downtown. With the efforts of the police department, town government, and Windham Windsor Housing Trust downtown Brattleboro has become a livable place again.
Thank you to all the folk for your efforts that have been made to bring back the compassion and welcoming community I know Brattleboro to be. Thank you Windham Windsor Housing Trust for your investment in providing quality safe Housing for all of the residents in Brattleboro.
