RUTLAND - June 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Peter Shumlin today signed a bill into law that improves the state’s Downtown, Village Center, and Neighborhood Designation programs, as well as reducing the cost to develop new housing in and around designated villages and downtowns. In addition, the new law improves blighted properties

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 14, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Peter Shumlin today announced $1.8 million in grants from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to help three communities replace municipal buildings damaged by flood waters. The funding comes from $21.6 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery funds ACCD received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help the state recover from Tropical Storm Irene and the spring floods of 2011.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs today proposed legislation to help the Department of Veterans Affairs meet its goal to eliminate veteran homelessness by 2015.

EUGENE, OR - April 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- IDX, Inc. welcomes South Burlington, Vermont broker Kelly Fiske to the growing network of real estate agents and brokers who have adopted a customizable IDX solution for their professional websites. As a member of the Northern New England Real Estate Network (NNEREN), Fiske has long had access to thousands of detailed property listings. Now, her clients and other area home seekers attain the benefit of viewing the same listings that were once classified as available only to Realtors, via her IDX-enabled search page

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- State Treasurer Beth Pearce announced today new efforts to assist Vermonters in claiming life insurance benefits, including improved web page search tools, consumer tips and information to assist consumers in claiming their money. The Treasurer’s office has received more than $2.2 million in unclaimed property as the result of a multi-state initiative to require life insurance companies to pay out on old, sometimes forgotten, policies

MONTPELIER, VT - April 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A 355-acre forest which includes a variety of popular trails used for hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing will be protected as the Barre Town Forest, The Trust for Public Land and the U.S. Forest Service announced today.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 27, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Peter Shumlin announced today that more than a year-and-a-half after they watched their homes destroyed by the floodwaters of Tropical Storm Irene and other floods in 2011, three families have closed on the sale of their properties as part of the FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), completing the home buyout process. The three -- two from Bethel and one from Bolton -- are the first to complete the HMGP process and receive compensation for their washed out homes. HMGP provides federal funds for towns to buy properties in flood-prone areas to avoid future damage

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 27, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- In one of the largest single grants to the state to help after Tropical Storm Irene, Senator Patrick Leahy (D), Senator Bernie Sanders (I), Congressman Peter Welch (D) and Governor Peter Shumlin (D) Wednesday announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is releasing $17,932,000 in community rebuilding funds to Vermont from a disaster relief appropriations bill passed by Congress and signed by the President in January. Leahy, Sanders and Welch supported the disaster relief measure and wrote a letter to HUD advocating for the funding.

BARRE, VT - March 22, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- After Tropical Storm Irene swept through Vermont, many residents were left homeless in areas of the state that were already experiencing shortages of affordable housing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 19, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Economic, Housing and Community Development announced today that Lars Hasselblad Torres has been hired as Director of the Agency’s Office of the Creative Economy (OCE).

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Tom Carper (D-DE) and Congressman Dan Benishek (R-MI-01) and Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA-26) have introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would improve veterans groups’ access to surplus personal property donated by the federal government

MONTPELIER - March 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Peter Shumlin announced today that the state will use CDBG Disaster Recovery funds to cover 75 percent of the cost to towns of buying out homes that have been found to be ineligible for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 13, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Gov. Peter Shumlin announced today that the state will use CDBG Disaster Recovery funds to cover 75 percent of the cost to towns of buying out homes that have been found to be ineligible for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 28, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- As the region braces for a potential storm, state officials are urging property owners to pay close attention to their roofs. Experts say snow that has accumulated over the duration of the winter in some areas of Vermont may become even heavier due to the wet, icy conditions predicted for our region

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 27, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A new poll released today by the Castleton Polling Institute continues to show overwhelming public support for building renewable wind energy turbines on Vermont ridgelines. Further, the poll indicates that support for wind among Vermonters does not drop off when the question is asked about building a wind project “in your community.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Sen. Patrick Leahy (D), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) and Rep. Peter Welch (D) Monday announced that NeighborWorks will be awarding $427,230 in federal funds to help inform Vermonters about homeownership and to preserve and develop affordable rental housing. This first round of 2013 grants allocates federal budget funds for the first half of the fiscal year

WATERBURY - February 18, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and Gov. Peter Shumlin today announced a $950,000 award from the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to redevelop Ladd Hall in Waterbury into 27 new homes. The project is made possible by a recent agreement by the state to transfer ownership of the building and include affordable housing in the redevelopment of the State Office Complex. Joining them was Regional Administrator Barbara Fields from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 15, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- FEMA has approved Vermont’s request for $373,000 in additional funding for the Disaster Case Management Program helping individuals and families still recovering from Tropical Storm Irene.