[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 113 (Wednesday, August 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S10261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VERMONT HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

 Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I am honored to congratulate the 
Vermont Housing Finance Agency on its 25th Anniversary of providing 
Vermonters with access to safe, decent and affordable housing.
  In 1974, the Vermont Housing Finance Agency, VHFA, was established to 
ensure that Vermonters of a variety of different backgrounds have 
access to affordable housing. Over many years of finding innovative 
ways to finance and stimulate the preservation and development of 
affordable housing, VHFA has multiplied the number of home ownership 
opportunities in Vermont many times over. This dedication to 
aggressively and compassionately provide affordable housing 
opportunities ensures that today's neediest Vermont families need not 
go without shelter.
  As a Senator one of my highest priorities is to help secure for 
Vermont's low and moderate income families a home they can afford. We 
all know that having a home is a critical foundation to achieving 
success. Every year VHFA helps Vermonters build this foundation by 
making financing possible for thousands of Vermonters to purchase 
hundreds of dwellings. Over the years, VHFA has worked with private 
lenders, real estate professionals, builders, developers and nonprofit 
organizations throughout the state to get the job done. This dynamic 
approach to home financing has brought about dozens of healthy and safe 
Vermont communities where residents thrive and communities grow. The 
professionalism, reliability, and accomplishments of the staff at VHFA 
are unsurpassed.
  I commend the Vermont Housing Finance Agency for its outstanding 
contribution and dedication to improving the quality of life for so 
many Vermonters. VHFA has my sincerest thanks and unending respect for 
its 25 years of commitment to Vermont and her people. I am both proud 
and honored to represent such an accomplished group of individuals in 
Washington as they are a national model for how to provide affordable, 
quality housing opportunities for those in need. As they celebrate 
their 25th anniversary at the end of this month in Vermont, the VHFA 
staff, past and present, should be proud that their leadership and 
continued perseverance will help ensure that every Vermonter has a 
place to call home.

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