Our second #FairHousingFriday of the month was a fantastic hit! Hosted by Nate Lantieri of CVOEO’s Mobile Home Program, panelists included Kelly Hamshaw, Senior Lecturer at UVM Dept. of Community Development & Applied Economics; Gayle Pezzo, Board President of Westbury Homeowners Association; and Elise Shanbacker, ED of Addison County Community Trust.
Panelists covered a extensive array of topics in a short amount of time, from the challenges of financing infrastructure updates for mobile home communities, the challenges community members encounter with funding basic park maintenance such a plowing, and the unique ways mobile home communities are impacted by climate change.
We ended on a powerful message from Gayle Pezzo, Board President of the Westbury Homeowners Association in Colchester, VT. Gayle spoke to the ways a mobile home community uniquely met her needs as a retired, single person, and how joining the Westbury Homeowners Association board necessitated a level of civic engagement she did not anticipate as she advocated for her community to access municipal resources. At the conclusion of the conversation, Gayle pointed out the shift in language from “trailer park” to “mobile home community” had a powerful impact on the way mobile home communities are viewed, and her own connection to her neighborhood.
If you missed it, find the full recording below:
Resources shared as a part of this Fair Housing Friday:
To learn more about Fair Housing Month and upcoming activities: https://fairhousingmonthvt.org/
To learn more and get help: https://www.cvoeo.org/get-help/fair-housing-and-discrimination
Our free Vermont Tenants workshops:
https://www.cvoeo.org/get-help/vermont-tenants-rights-and-resources
Resources available from USDA Rural Development here in Vermont : https://www.rd.usda.gov/vt
More resources for Mobile Home Parks through CVOEO: https://www.cvoeo.org/get-help/mobile-home-park-rights-and-resources
The Cooperative Development Institute (CDI) : https://cdi.coop/
Do NOT Miss Our Final Fair Housing Friday!
Friday, April April 29th 12:30 – 1:30 PM: “Is Building More the Cure?”
In this final Fair Housing Friday for Fair Housing Month, we will discuss how relying on development alone won’t ensure housing opportunities for the communities with the greatest housing needs in Vermont. Featuring Bor Yang, Executive Director of the VT Human Rights Commission; Owiso Makuku, CEO of Main Street Landing and VT Affordable Housing Coalition Steering Committee Member; and Elizabeth Bridgewater, Executive Director of Windham & Windsor Housing Trust.
And coming up this week:
- Arts So Wonderful Art opening at the South Burlington University Mall! Friday April 29th from 4pm to 7 pm, or alternative dates at request. Read the full Call to Artists here
TONIGHT – Tuesday, April 26th:
- 5pm- 6pm (zoom) : HeART & Home Community Artists Reception (All Ages),
- 6pm- 7pm (Bent Northrop Library, Fairfield VT) : Community Art Show Reception
- 7pm-8pm (zoom): #Housed802 Community Meeting
- Wednesday, April 27th 2pm – 3pm (zoom): Community Partnerships to Address Housing Needs
- Friday, April 29th 12:30pm – 1:30 pm (zoom): Fair Housing Friday: Is Building More the Cure?
- Friday, April 29th 5 pm – 7 pm : Opening Reception: What Does a Thriving, Inclusive Community Look Like?
- Saturday, April 30th 9 am – 1 pm (South Meadow Apartments, Burlington):Day in the Dirt + Fair Housing = HeArt & Home in-person art activity
Throughout the month of April:
- Arvin A Brown Public Library in Richford, VT has a story walk highlight the book A Chair For My Mother, Follow the pages of this book along a trail and think upon the thoughtful questions posed!
- CVOEO’s Fair Housing Project has designed and installed this Fair Housing exhibit in Burlington City Hall, featuring our updated protected classes iconography, ways to become an advocate, and a brief history of Fair Housing
- CVOEO’s FHP is partnering with Arts So Wonderful for an art competition and cash prizes! Drop off your work April 18th or April 24th
- Check out 77Arts Installation , Gesture of Something Like Home, up until June 2nd