[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 38 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S2778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING RICHARD M. WILLIAMS FOR 24 YEARS OF SERVICE

 Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a man 
who has spent the last twenty four years of his life working to ensure 
that Vermonters who are struggling to make ends meet, can afford to 
keep a roof over their heads. Richard Williams is far too humble to ask 
for recognition for those years of service, but that service has meant 
too much to go unrecognized.
  The Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA) was the first statewide 
housing authority in the United States, and Richard has been with it 
almost from the beginning. He came to VSHA in 1974 as an accountant 
when the organization itself was only six years old. Through the years 
he has served as Director of Fiscal Management, Deputy Director, and 
since 1984, Executive Director.
  Under his leadership, VSHA has grown considerably. Today it 
administers the Section 8 program providing 4,585 families with rental 
assistance. The organization's non-profit arm, The Housing Foundation 
Inc. (HFI), which Richard helped to establish, created additional units 
of affordable housing and mobile home park lots. Through the HFI and 
various partnerships 1,050 units of affordable housing are now 
available for low-income families in Vermont. Just recently, Richard 
oversaw a creative interpretation of the tax code which, with the help 
of the Howard Bank, produced an $8.1 million tax exempt bond to 
refinance most of the mobile home parks in The Housing Foundation 
portfolio, to the benefit of 565 Vermont households.
  But Richard was never content to limit himself to the work of VSHA. 
He sits on more boards and has served in more associations than I could 
recount here today. Among them are the Governor's Housing Council, the 
Advisory Group for the Consolidated Plan, and the Low-Income Housing 
Tax Credit Committee. With all of these commitments, it amazes me that 
he gets any rest at all. Vermonters are fortunate indeed to have 
someone so dedicated to making housing affordable for all, and who 
apparently needs so little sleep.
  This year, the Vermont State Housing Authority is celebrating its 
thirtieth anniversary, and that is indeed cause for celebration. I 
applaud VSHA for thirty years of outstanding service to Vermont, and at 
the same time recognize Richard Williams for the large part he has 
played in that success. I know I speak for thousands of Vermonters who 
have a roof over their heads today because of his efforts, in saying 
thank you to Richard for twenty four years of service to 
Vermont.

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