About Us

For most Vermonters, whether we rent or own, the idea of “home” is much more than the roof over our heads. Home is an emotional destination — the anchor of our daily life, our comfort zone, a place where we belong. It’s where families unite, gather and grow; it’s where young people dream of the future and elders hold their memories close. Home empowers us, protects us, restores us, and inspires us. Home provides us with a sense of place.

The Windham & Windsor Housing Trust has a tag line — Home Matters Here. We chose this phrase because it speaks to the very tangible ways home influences our lives, but also to its place and meaning in our communities. When neighbors live in stable, healthy homes they have better physical and mental health, reduced stress and their children perform better in school. The benefit to these neighbors is passed on to our whole community in significant ways. A family that spends less for housing costs can afford to spend more on other items, including groceries, clothing and health care. They can also afford to save more for emergencies or for major purchases such as a car or education. This provides our whole community with greater economic, social, educational, and workforce stability.

We are inspired by the vision that all people in Southeastern Vermont have a home they can afford. These homes are safe, are environmentally and economically sustainable, and enhance our neighborhoods, building a community that is diverse, vibrant, and respectful – a place where all residents feel a sense of well-being, belonging and connection.

The fundamental importance of safe, decent, and affordable housing in fostering stability and well-being has long been recognized. However, the current shortage of available homes is unprecedented. This reality underscores our mission to create housing opportunities for both new homebuyers and renters, a commitment that we proudly advanced in 2024 through several key initiatives:

Early in the year, we broke ground at Central & Main, launching the construction of 25 new energy-efficient rental homes in Windsor, which will also revitalize the village streetscape by utilizing long-vacant spaces.
We successfully navigated the appeals process in Putney to move forward with Alice Holway Drive, a village project that will add another 25 new homes in Southeastern Vermont while preserving the cherished community gardens and Farmer’s Market located on an adjacent parcel.
In West Brattleboro, we engaged with existing residents during the predevelopment phase of the 17-acre parcel at the Chalet, ensuring their needs were incorporated into the site and building designs. Upon completion of this multi-phase project, the neighborhood will feature 70 new homes for both rental and ownership, fostering a diverse income community.
We witnessed a record number of homebuyers participating in our Shared Equity Program in 2024, which not only provides stability for new homeowners but also maintains affordability for future generations of Vermonters.
Additionally, through Vermont’s Housing Improvement Program, we facilitated the creation of 30 new homes in 2024 by rehabilitating long-vacant units, thereby increasing options for renters.

In 2024, we also reinforced our commitment to the well-being of residents in Housing Trust rental properties. We expanded our SASH For All pilot program in Brattleboro to encompass residents of all ages, while also introducing new initiatives in our traditional SASH program in Windsor to combat food insecurity. These two programs, which served over 300 individuals in 2024, emphasize health and well-being by providing support ranging from safe transitions home after surgery to resources for improving mental health, as well as fostering community through shared meals and collaborative art projects.

The stories shared in the 2024 Annual Report: Building Fresh Starts vividly illustrate our mission and highlight the profound impact of stable housing and necessary support on individuals’ lives. They inspire us and reaffirm the significance of our work, demonstrating the tremendous difference we make in people’s lives every day. It is a genuine honor to serve our region in this capacity, and we are sincerely grateful for the support we have received from the community, our institutional funders, and individual donors. Thank you.

With gratitude,