The Rutland Housing Authority Annual Report to the Citizens of the City of Rutland
2021-2022
The Rutland Housing Authority (RHA) was created nearly 60 years ago to address “a shortage of safe and sanitary dwelling accommodations in the City of Rutland available to person of low income at rentals they can afford” (City of Rutland, Board of Alderman, Resolution dated May 22, 1963). Funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), RHA built and managed three properties, two for elderly and non-elderly disabled residents at Templewood Court and Sheldon Towers (134 units) and one for families at the old Forest Park site (75 units) for a total of 209 apartments. In 2018 RHA completed the redevelopment of the obsolete Forest Park. Today, 78 units of modern, energy efficient mixed-income housing have replaced what was a tired, isolated and unwelcoming “project” into a vibrant new Rutland neighborhood called Hickory Street apartments. The RHA is pleased to be working with Habitat for Humanity of Rutland County to build three single family homes on the balance of the land on Hickory Street. Thanks in part to our donation of land; three deserving families will get to fulfill their dreams of home ownership. The first home is scheduled for completion in 2023.
The RHA currently administers 308 Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, which enable low-income families to secure high quality rental units from local landlords. Eighty-nine of these vouchers are targeted to non-elderly, disabled participants. The RHA is currently partnering with the Housing Trust of Rutland County, placing 19 vouchers in their new Lincoln Place permanent supportive housing project at the old IHM School.
Our various housing programs provide affordable housing to nearly 500 families including many with children, elders and people with disabilities. In 2020 Housing Initiatives, Inc., an affiliate of the RHA, secured a Vermont Coronavirus Relief grant to build Rutland Area Bridge Housing at 101 US Route 4 East. This transitional housing program is designed to serve the homeless and provides housing and supportive services to individuals and families seeking permanent, affordable housing and economic self-sufficiency. Two of the eight units are for homeless patients being discharged from the hospital; one is for homeless youth working with the Mentor Connector, five are for general occupancy and the nineth houses a live-in site coordinator. We are particularly grateful to the Rutland Regional Medical Center for their leadership in securing community support for the project and to our many donors who helped make Bridge a reality.
Recognized for its commitment to service-enriched housing, the RHA provides resident service coordination at its housing sites. Additionally, we serve as the Designated Regional Housing Organization for the Support and Services at Home (SASH) Program. This interagency system for care management assists Medicare-eligible participants with chronic care management, successful transitions from in-patient settings and healthy aging-in-place. Services are provided at a number of housing sites and in the community, county wide. Nearly 500 individuals benefit from these services which have proven to increase quality of life while decreasing emergency room use, hospitalizations and Medicare costs.
Finally, we would like to express our appreciation for the support that the Authority has received from all City Departments, the Rutland Redevelopment Authority, area Section 8 landlords and the many agencies that have partnered with us to provide affordable, service-enriched, safe and high-quality housing to the citizens of the Rutland Region.
As always, we welcome your comments or suggestions. Please contact the Rutland Housing Authority at 802-775-2929, or to learn more about our programs and services, check us out at www.rhavt.org.
Kevin S. Markowski, CPA, Chairman
Karl C. Anderson, Esq., Vice-Chairman
Jessie Butterfield, Commissioner
Betsy Franzoni, Commissioner
James V. Richards, Commissioner
Kevin L. Loso, SPHM, Executive Director
