Cathedral Square is proud to join with many of our housing partners from around Vermont to urge the state to increase its investment in affordable housing by $175 million during the 2023 legislative session. We recognize that safe, affordable housing is the foundation of health, individual and community well-being, and economic, racial, and social justice. We urge incoming lawmakers to prioritize funding for affordable housing so that all Vermonters can thrive.
Like virtually every other business and organization, we cycle through periods of being short-staffed due to employees who have retired or moved on and those who must quarantine at home for days due to having the virus. Fortunately, here at Cathedral Square we’ve had the support of friends, donors, board members and current staff members at all levels who have pitched in to help whenever and wherever there has been a need.
State and local officials, affordable housing advocates, and area residents gathered in South Hero Monday, Nov. 14, to celebrate the opening of Bayview Crossing, a new Cathedral Square community with 30 homes for older adults and offices for the local nonprofit C.I.D.E.R. (Champlain Islanders Developing Essential Resources). It is the first affordable housing to be built in Grand Isle County in 17 years.
With generous support from the families of Holly & Bob Miller and Lois & J. Warren (“Mac”) McClure, Cathedral Square has launched a $1 million capital campaign to ensure the future of Memory Care at Allen Brook, its Williston-based residence for very low-income Vermonters on Medicaid. It is the only truly affordable memory-care residence in Vermont, as it accepts people on Medicaid and with Section 8 rental subsidy at the time of admission. Private residential care in Vermont for people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia typically costs $10,000 a month or more.
Residents, legislators, funders, policymakers and friends turned out in force in late June to celebrate the completion of major upgrades at Whitney Hill Homestead, a 30-year-old Cathedral Square housing community in Williston, Vermont. The year-long renovation required moving residents and their belongings out for six weeks at a time while work was completed in their part of the buildings. The improvements included upgrades to all major building systems, including an entirely new sprinkler system.
Two women with long-standing experience in the Support and Services at Home (SASH®) program have been named to the top leadership posts of the statewide program. Liz Genge of Montpelier is the new director, and Casey Doerner RN of East Ryegate is the new assistant director. They will oversee SASH teams throughout Vermont that provide support and coordinate personalized care and programming for the approximately 5,000 Medicare recipients enrolled in the program.
We had a wonderful groundbreaking ceremony on a sunny afternoon Sept. 22 in South Hero, celebrating the long-awaited construction start of Bayview Crossing, which will bring 30 one- and
Pictured from left: Kim Fitzgerald of Cathedral Square and Meg Pond and Robin Way of Champlain Islanders Developing Essential Resources, better known as C.I.D.E.R.
Residents started moving into Juniper House, Burlington’s newest affordable/mixed-income, independent living community for adults 55 and older, in mid-March 2021. The 70 one- and two-bedroom apartments were quickly leased at subsidized, tax-credit and market-rate rents.
The “2021 Outstanding Service-Learning Community Partner Award, COVID edition” recognizes “partners who went above and beyond to ensure that students were able to participate in service-learning experiences even during the pandemic.” The two are sharing the award.
Every year, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition (VHCC), of which Cathedral Square is an active member, hosts Legislative Day at the State House. This year the event is virtual, so let's fill the Zoom room and show legislators the broad range of support for affordable housing and land conservation throughout Vermont. The hour-long kickoff starts at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 17. Read more and join us!
