PUTNEY — Katie Buckley and Connie Snow from the Windham & Windsor Housing Trust (WWHT) appeared before the Selectboard on Jan. 13 for the final public hearing on the Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) grant to fund an affordable housing complex in Putney.
Buckley and Snow reported on the renovation of the Plantz House on Old Depot Road, which was completed in August.
The town sponsored the Housing Trust's application to the VCDP, which delivered the project a $300,000 grant.
This project brought 11 units of “permanently affordable housing” to Putney, including two ADA-accessible units, and two that can be adapted to be ADA-compliant, Buckley said.
She said “we expect low energy costs” because the building is heated with a wood pellet stove, most of the windows have been replaced, and there are solar panels on the roof.
According to Buckley and Snow, all units are fully occupied, and about half of them house people who lived in the building before renovations began. Snow said she suspects there might be a “small waiting list” because interested parties continued inquiring after all units were filled.
“I went through [the building] and I was really impressed,” said Board Chair Steve Hed.
Town Manager Cynthia Stoddard mentioned complaints from neighbors about the bright outdoor lighting at the Plantz House.
Buckley said the WWHT had since changed the lights to bulbs with a lower wattage.