Affordable Housing in Burlington: Is this possible? by Emily Cummings

BURLINGTON, VT - According to the U.S. Census Bureau 38,358 people are currently residing in the city of Burlington, Vermont. That same report indicates that there are 16,398 housing units available. With roughly two people per household, mathematically that should mean that there is enough housing for everyone. So why are there so many people who claim to be unable to find housing in Burlington? The issue here is cost, not quantity.

Leah Galasso, a junior at Champlain College, recently concluded her apartment hunting for next year. A current Burlington resident, renting in the downtown area, Galasso wasn’t a stranger to the search. Galasso says, “It was kind of stressful at times.”

Galasso currently lives in a three bedroom apartment off of North Willard Street in Burlington, but this year she was interested in finding a two bedroom with a friend a little closer to downtown. “Last year I kind of sat back and let my roommates take control of finding a place to live whereas this year I was the leader in the apartment hunting search,” she says. “I went on many websites such as CraigsList, Burlingtonapartments.net, Champlainapartments, and GrindGuide to see what was available for my price range.”

According to Galasso cost was definitely an issue. “Every year I am shocked by how much landlords can charge for apartments. It seems that they get more and more expensive, and the apartments near Champlain and UVM charge an arm and a leg and get away with it,” says Galasso.

That may be in part due to the large percentage of college students that reside in Burlington. Of the 39,824 residents in the city, approximately 13,391 of them are UVM students. Another approximately 5,593 attend the Community College of Vermont (CCV) and approximately
3,966 attend Champlain College. This overwhelming statistical fact shows that college students make up the large majority of the Burlington and surrounding area population. Assuming half of all these students live on campus or outside of Burlington, college students still make up at least half the residential population. The large influx of students every fall creates a competitive housing market in the downtown area.

Luckily for Galasso she has a valuable resource close to home to help guide her through the search. “My dad owns a lot of properties back home so he knows what it’s like to be a landlord, and has helped me a great deal in knowing what to look for in apartments and reading over the lease to make sure I don’t get screwed over in the end,” she says.

Some of Galasso’s criteria for an apartment included, “appeared to be clean and well kept, relatively close to school, located in a safe neighborhood, and had a homey feel to it,” she says. But her main priority was finding an apartment with, “feasible rent.” For Galasso this meant no more than $600 a month. It took Galasso about two months to secure an apartment. “Looking at about a million different Burlington apartments and trying to figure out which one everyone liked was a hassle but in the long run I think we [Galasso and her friend] were both satisfied with the one we chose,” says Galasso.

So what did Galasso end up with? “It’s $537 [per person] a month plus heat and electric. Since I have to pay for my apartment on my own, price played a huge role in my decision to rent an apartment. Luckily, though, it seemed like the least expensive apartment that my roommate and I looked at was the one we really liked so I guess it all worked out in the end,” Galasso says. The apartment is a block closer to the Champlain College campus, a bonus that Galasso appreciates when the temperatures start to drop.

Things worked out for Galasso, she plans to move into her apartment for next fall and spring, but what about those who aren’t as lucky and are unable to find affordable housing for not only themselves, but their family? More importantly, what is being done for those families?

There are many options for those who wish to reside in Burlington but are unable to afford the cost. The Burlington Housing Authority (BHA) provides many programs as well as offers federally funded assistance. Section 8 Vouchers, which are federally funded, help assist people based on their income to afford their rent. Then there is Project Based Housing. These properties are managed by the BHA by working with landlords to provide affordable living complexes.

Malaika DosRemedios, Case Manager for the Skills for Life Program through the BHA, is a valuable resource for individuals struggling to find assistance. The Skills for Life Program, a pilot program, the only one like it in the nation, is funded by grants through the federal government. The program connects residents with community resources and services. This is done through a multitude of methods which include: Goal setting, mentoring; career advancement and planning programs; post-employment follow-up; credit, banking and money management education, as well as assistance with real life issues such as tax forms, car insurance, health insurance, and voter registration. DosRemedios works to bring these services to residents of BHA's public housing developments. While the program is intended for individuals already residing in BHA housing, DosRemedios still encourages individuals who are seeking help to reach out to her and BHA. "I will often get people who are at a loss for what to do. They want help but aren't sure where to find it. I will refer them to our BHA offices where they can begin the process of entering our system, but I will also take time to talk to them and answer any questions they may have even if they aren't eligible for assistance," says DosRemedios.

DosRemedios has been working with the program for over three years now. It has taken time for it to grow. She recognized that for a program to exist and thrive there must be community trust and support. Now in its third year, the program has grown to include a soccer team for the children of the community as well as events such as next month's trip to the ECHO Center (a center which is home to a consortium of organizations working for public and academic engagement in science, environmental education, research, and cultural history).

The Skills for Life Program is just one example of the types of assistance that exist for residents of Burlington. The Family Self Sufficiency Program (FSS) believes the best way to predict the future is to create it. FSS does that with a program designed to give you the tools you need to create self-sufficiency goals and follow them through. FSS gives personalized, individualized attention to those in need by providing counseling and resources for Section 8 participants.

"What's really great about BHA is that we understand people's needs and strive to meet them. Not only do we assist individuals and families, but we also provide the tools for them to help themselves," says DosRemedios.
For more information on the Burlington Housing Authority visit their website: http://www.burlingtonhousing.org/.