Ability to Plan for the Future In 2004, Jim DePierro was living with roommates and then at his Mom’s house and was ready for a change. He was a recent graduate from the University of Vermont working several jobs, but his pay wasn’t enough to cover the costs of owning a car, paying insurance and […]
Getting on a Better Pathway By necessity, Katiesha Soth and her family bounced around a lot – living unhoused made them always looking out for a place that would offer an opportunity for stability in their lives, and especially, a home. The family of six had spent a few years without a home, often with […]
From Hardship to Housing with a Little Help Nicole Hawley is no stranger to hardship. Born in Morrisville and growing up in central Vermont her family always figured out how to make ends meet, sometime depending on public assistance programs when needed. It’s the reality for many Vermont families without a lot of resources and […]
A New Sense of Home It’s impossible not to feel welcome inside Vladimir Bullón and Greg Chire’s new shared equity condo at Bay Ridge in Shelburne. The living space is decorated with family pictures and furniture that the couple tracked down from secondhand shops and Facebook marketplace. Their sixth month old puppy Willow follows visitors […]
I Felt Like I Was Home Almost 40 years ago, Suzie McKenzie moved from California back to her hometown of Burlington, Vermont, with her 7-year-old daughter. She lived with her mom and was looking for a place to live when her sister-in-law, who rented from Champlain Housing Trust, suggested Suzie move into her apartment since […]
Putting the “Share” into Shared Equity Homeownership The day Dylan and Rebecca Merrifox sold their home was bittersweet. Selling the home, which is part of Champlain Housing Trust’s shared equity program, meant saying goodbye to a special place for their young family – even as they were excited for their next step. “It really was […]
This is What Stability Looks Like Hannah Pickett spoke at Champlain Housing Trust’s annual Cornerstone Luncheon in November 2024, a fundraising event attended by about 300 guests. She also spoke at Vermont Housing & Conservation Coalition’s Legislative Day at the State House in February 2025. Here are her remarks. Good afternoon and thank you for […]
Everything I Wanted Not too long ago, Laura Allyn felt stuck. But now, sitting in her one-bedroom home in Burlington, surrounded by family pictures and paintings – many of them done by her mother – Laura explains how this welcoming home once seemed so out of reach for her. “It was a very dark time. […]
Music Man Alban Malanda loves to connect with people. It’s one reason why he offered to serve as a member of Champlain Housing Trust’s Rental Resident Advisory Committee. He feels it’s important that residents have a place to advocate for themselves. “That’s a place where my voice can easily be heard relating to some […]
A Foot in the Door Homeownership Becomes a Reality Through the Shared Equity Program It takes Tara Burke, a Champlain Housing Trust shared equity homeowner in Milton, a few moments to count up the number of apartments she’s rented around Burlington over the years. “Let’s see, Pine Street, Hayward Street, St. Paul Street, Adams […]
Building Wealth with Shared Equity When asked her favorite thing about her home in Colchester, Molly Doherty has a quick answer. While she really appreciates the natural light and original hardwood floors, something else comes out first. “It’s mine!” Room by room, she is starting to make the third floor walk-up her own. She […]
Feeling Connected at Fort Ethan Allen Mary Wilson understands the value of having great neighbors. Before moving into her condo at Fort Ethan Allen, she was living with her daughter in the Adirondacks. One February morning, while her daughter was at work, Mary slipped and fell while walking in the driveway. Thankfully she wasn’t […]
