Chalet Redevelopment

To inform the design of the new development and redevelopment of the original Chalet building, we hosted 3 focused meetings that included: abutters and residents on South Street, current residents of the Chalet property, Groundworks Collaborative, Property Management team,  Fire department, Brattleboro Town Zoning, Academy School, and interested members on the West Brattleboro Trustees contact list.

The purpose was to gather focused feedback (see below) that would inform design and quality of life from people in the new and current neighborhood.  Attendance and participation from all the groups invited was very good and the feedback was incorporated into the conceptual plan for the neighborhood presented at the third meeting. The development team presented how each item is incorporated in the new plan where possible.

Feedback and how it was addressed in the conceptual plan are included below:

Safety feedback:

Address speed with traffic calming measures (suggestions: change egress, add gates)

Consider access by emergency services

Provide alternatives to walking on South St (suggestions: Mover, pedestrian way to Rte. 5)

Improve exterior lighting

Provide security services/weekend oversight

Create central entry for PSH program

Saftey incorporated in plan: The physical design of the neighborhood, road, and buildings focuses on neighborhood safety by designing for: pedestrian and vehicular safety, accommodating easy access by emergency vehicles, safe lighting (dark-skies compliant), and secure building access.

Community safety has also been a large conversation at the town level because of the increase challenges throughout the community.   This has prompted many conversation within the Housing Trust as we seek to balance the need to meet the housing needs in our community while promoting resident and neighborhood safety.  To learn more about our approach to resident and neighborhood safety, scroll down to the FAQ section at the bottom of the page “How is community safety addressed?”.

Accessibilty feedback:

Bigger ADA rooms

Improve access to buildings, inside and out

 Accessiblity incorporated: The design process utilizes universal design principals which standardizes accessibility across all of the homes and elevators are included in all multi-family buildings. The site plan creates increased walkability including sidewalks and bus stops so that residents can access the MOOver without having to walk down to Western Avenue.  We are also workign closely with the MOOver to add this neighborhood to their route schedule.

Quality of Life 

Increase natural light in residences

More site storage

Community spaces in buildings

Privacy plantings

Balconies

Consider residents’ need for different noise levels

 Quality of life incorporated: More natural lighting will be part of the design of these buildings in comparison with the older structures on site currently and there will be places for residents to gather for various purposes. The  third-floor hall of the original Chalet building will be rehabbed as a large community space available for use by the residents in the neighborhood and there will be smaller, more cozy spaces within each multi-family building for smaller gatherings and meetings.  Offices will be incorporated in the first floors that can be occupied by supportive services and property management staff. The building design and materials will increase the level of privacy by reducing noise levels.  Finally, landscaping, plantings and community garden space will beautify the site and provide option for residents to enjoy the outdoor space in the neighborhood.

Neighborhood Planning

Prioritize quality over quantity

Include housing for families

Include shared equity home ownership or a coop

Keep original banquet room (historic, community space)

 Neighborhood Planning incorporated: In response to the well-documented need for an increased array of housing types, this neighborhood plan accommodates for a full variety of homes. This includes shared equity homeownership duplexes, multi-family rental buildings, and townhouses. This variety will be able to accommodate homes for families, elders, workforce,  and people with disabilities. Steep, wooded slopes and wetlands are defining features on the site so the location of the buildings, roads and infrastructure are located on the limited, relatively flat and open areas. With both of these factors present on the parcel, the development is focused on the limited, relatively flat open area. The height and overall size of the buildings are also organized around and influenced by the presence of the historic Chalet.

Outdoor Areas

Preserve existing trees and vistas

Consider recreational use of outdoor spaces

Add gardens

Create a buffer for the abutter’s house (fence)

Outdoor Areas incorporated: The development is on the open acreage of the parcel. Surrounding forest areas and wetlands will be preserved. To the extent possible, trees of significance within the open area that will also be preserved. Privacy, gardening, landscaping aesthetics, enjoyment, and gathering are all incorporated in the design.

In 2020 as an emergency response to the covid pandemic, the Housing Trust partnered with Groundworks Collaborative to create a new Permenant Supportive Housing Site in Brattleboro (only one other exists). With Covid Releif Funding, the Housing Trust acquired the property and redeveloped 35 units at an emergency response rate of 3 months (for reference, standard development takes at least 18 months). This property was leased through the Coordinated Entry process, ensuring that residents are exiting chronic homelessness into a permenant home with subsidized rents and Groundworks provided on-site staffing and support for residents. The emergency response was agreed by all to be the first step, with the plan to do a full redevelopment in the near future to bring the property up to our standard of quality.

Read a full article here

After an initial feasibility study of the land and buildings, a deep dive into the tenant selection process and support, The Housing Trust has hired Vermont Integrated Architecture to work on the new design. 

The Windham & Windsor Housing Trust is a non-profit, board driven community land trust and has been offering housing solutions from rental development to homeownership support in Southeastern Vermont for over 35 years. Here’s a look at what we do in Brattleboro:

Development: In Brattleboro, we were founded in 1987 with the historic redevelopment of three iconic homes  on Canal street, preserving homes for 14 households. Our work expanded from there with a mix of hisortic renovations (like Wilder Block following the fire in the early 2000’s) and new construction like the Snow Block, Upper Story (apartments above the coop in downtown), and Bellows Falls Garage in BF.

All of these properties are mixed income and intergenerational.  Properties are not tax exempt and do contribute to tax base of town.

SASH For All: Our SASH (Support and Services At Home) For all Program Coordinator and Wellness Nurse rotate through our properties. Their panel of clients includes families and adults living in our buildings. SASH For All supports individuals and families pursue their self-defined health and wellness goals.

Rental Rehab: The Vermont Housing Improvement Program works with private property owners to bring vacant and blighted apartments back onto the market, create new apartments, and fund accessory dwelling units (ADU). The goal of the program is to address the housing crisis by creating more homes and connecting with the local continuum of care to identify tenants. Find out more on our page here.

Homeownership Support: We host monthly homebuyer education workshops which help families and individuals who are looking to take the next step into homeownership and provide them with the resources, tools, and support they need for a successful start! Participants are connected with our homeownership specialists who help from pre-qualifications to closing. Our Shared Equity homeownership model provides access to homeownership opportunities to income qualified households. Income qualification goes all the way up to 120% AMI. A majority of the local population falls into that eligibility.

Green Mountain Home Repair:  We help homeowners keep safe and healthy with low cost loans to address home repairs. Our Specialists work with clients every step of the way from identifying the scope, finding contractors, identifying funding supports, and making sure the work is getting done well.

The Housing Trust’s office is on Birge St in Brattleboro.

The conceptual plan for the entire site includes two phases of development. The plan includes:

1) A new looping road going the length of the neighborhood that can accomidate emergency vehicles and public transportation and with sidewalks 

2) Designs for storm water management

3) 9 buildings including the preservation of the original Chalet building, 5 duplex homewnership opportunities, a block of townhouses, and 2 multi-family buildings. This will be constructed in 2 phases.

1st phase of construction includes 30 rental units and a number of homeownership opportunities in 1 multi-family building and in duplexes.

The second phase will include the preservation of the original Chalet building as well as new construction of a 3-story multi-family building and townhouses. The total unit count will be determinded when design development focuses on this next phase in greater detail.

Who’s involved: 

The design team includes WWHT development staff, Evernorth, and Vermont Integrated Architecture in consultation with Engineering Ventures for civil engineering

Informing this team on the design and priorities for the property has been abutters and residents on South Street, current residents of the Chalet property, Groundworks Collaborative, Property Management team,  Fire department, Brattleboro Town Zoning, Academy School, and interested members on the West Brattleboro Trustees contact list.

Research informing the design and concepts include: Brattleboro Housing Needs Assessment, Homeownership data, Townwide Community Safety Conversation

What’s the process and how was feedback incorporated:

Design team faciliated 3 community sessions (community being defined as immediate neighborhood and resources) to gather focused feedback to inform the conceptual design.

• The first community meeting was focused on learning the priorities of the residents currently living at the Chalet and the residents in the surrounding neighborhood. We also sought input from officials including the Academy School and Brattleboro’s zoning and planning department. The priorities gathered in this meeting included: improving safety (both on site and with traffic), improving accessibility in living spaces as well as throughout the site, prioritizing quality of life and planning the new neighborhood to include a variety of housing types that meet the needs of the broader community, and planned outdoor areas.
• At the second meeting, the development team presented several conceptual plans of the site. There drawings were not intended to be chosen as a preferred option in their entirety but rather served as a visual tool to prompt discussion about what folks liked about each one and how certain features addressed the priorities gathered from the first meeting.
• At our final community meeting the development team presented the concept which addressed the majority of the priorities while walking through any feedback that couldn’t be met. For example, balconies on all units was not feasible. The group offered further feedback which we are now incorporating into the sketch plans that will be submitted to town and available to the public. Below is more detail on how feedback was incorporated.

Safety: At each of our Chalet Community planning sessions, the issue of safety has been a priority topic for everyone present. The physical design of the neighborhood, road, and buildings focuses on neighborhood safety by designing for: pedestrian and vehicular safety, accommodating easy access by emergency vehicles, safe lighting (dark-skies compliant), and secure building access.

Community safety has also been a large conversation at the town level because of the increase challenges throughout the community.   This has prompted many conversation within the Housing Trust as we seek to balance the need to meet the housing needs in our community while promoting resident and neighborhood safety.  To learn more about our approach to resident and neighborhood safety, click “How is community safety addressed?” In the FAQ section.

Accessibility: The design process utilizes universal design principals which standardizes accessibility across all of the homes and elevators are included in all multi-family buildings. The site plan creates increased walkability including sidewalks and bus stops so that residents can access the MOOver without having to walk down to Western Avenue.  We are also workign closely with the MOOver to add this neighborhood to their route schedule.

Quality of life: More natural lighting will be part of the design of these buildings in comparison with the older structures on site currently and there will be places for residents to gather for various purposes. The  third-floor hall of the original Chalet building will be rehabbed as a large community space available for use by the residents in the neighborhood and there will be smaller, more cozy spaces within each multi-family building for smaller gatherings and meetings.  Offices will be incorporated in the first floors that can be occupied by supportive services and property management staff. The building design and materials will increase the level of privacy by reducing noise levels.  Finally, landscaping, plantings and community garden space will beautify the site and provide option for residents to enjoy the outdoor space in the neighborhood.

Neighborhood planning: In response to the well-documented need for an increased array of housing types, this neighborhood plan accommodates for a full variety of homes. This includes shared equity homeownership duplexes, multi-family rental buildings, and townhouses. This variety will be able to accommodate homes for families, elders, workforce,  and people with disabilities. Steep, wooded slopes and wetlands are defining features on the site so the location of the buildings, roads and infrastructure are located on the limited, relatively flat and open areas. With both of these factors present on the parcel, the development is focused on the limited, relatively flat open area. The height and overall size of the buildings are also organized around and influenced by the presence of the historic Chalet.

Outdoor areas: The development is on the open acreage of the parcel. Surrounding forest areas and wetlands will be preserved. To the extent possible, trees of significance within the open area that will also be preserved. Privacy, gardening, landscaping aesthetics, enjoyment, and gathering are all incorporated in the design.

Creating a new neighborhood takes a lot of intention. This includes the experiences from people who live at the Chalet, people who live nearby, the staff who continually repair aged structures, the resource staff on-site, and the town’s safety professionals. For this reason, we are so grateful to have heard your feedback before moving into the permitting process because the site designs that we will present reflect this feedback and your priorities.

Once funding and permitting is complete, construction will move be in two phases:

• Phase 1 construction is slated to begin late 2025 and will focus on new building in southern-most end of the buildable lot (there is no opportunity in steep, wooded slopes or wetlands). This will include some of the homeownership units.
• WWHT and Evernorth will jump into Phase 2 planning and development so the construction can immediately follow phase 1. This phase includes the preservation of the original Chalet building.

At each of our Chalet Community planning sessions- a preliminary process which was focused on the immdiate neighborhood of the Chalet and neighbors on the road- the issue of safety has been a priority topic for everyone present.The physical design of this neighborhood, road, and buildings focuses on neighborhood safety by designing for: pedestrian and vehicular safety, accommodating easy access by emergency vehicles, safe lighting (dark-skies compliant), and secure building access. 

Community safety has been a large conversation at the town level, and within our organization.  Where traffic safety and design of buildings are incorporated into physical plans, we wanted to put our broader work into this context. Where Brattleboro continues to be a vibrant and beautiful town with many strengths, the town faces some real challenges that have impacted us as well. We do not take these challenges lightly and have intentionally strengthened our focus on safety because of the shift we’ve seen across town. We feel it’s important to share specifics on our current and evolving approach with you here.

1) Connecting residents with resources: Where we have permanent supportive housing, we have on-site support for residents. This means that residents who have exited chronic homelessness into these apartments can access vital resources and easily create community connections that support personal resilience and safety. For our general rentals, we have free and voluntary access to SASH and the SASH For All programs.  These include a SASH coordinator, a Wellness Nurse (RN), and a Mental Health Clinician. These teams work both on the individual/family level on health and wellness goals while also creating community connection among neighborhoods.   2) Proactive Screening: Our leasing protocols include a criminal background check and references. In cases where applicants are supported by case managers for support, we work closely with this entity to determine whether the applicant can be supported to find stability.  3) Accountability: Firm and clear boundaries are put in place when leasing. Residents are walked through the lease agreement and understand the consequences for infractions and lease breaks. Illegal and dangerous activity is followed up with a lease termination. Buildings and apartments are routinely inspected for safety and compliance with lease.  4) Safety in neighborhoods and coordinating with town resources: We regularly meet with the Brattleboro Police Department and coordinate on challenges. We have been hosting community meetings at the neighborhood level where residents can voice concerns directly with the police and with us. We have a strong relationship with HCRS Police Liaison and have brought this resource in at the neighborhood level following traumatic incidents and at the staff level, again following a traumatic death.  We have been engaging in the town-wide discussion around community safety.

Creating a new neighborhood takes a lot of intentionality. It takes real life experience from people who live there, people who live next door, staff who continually repair aged structures, resource staff on-site, and safety professionals. For this reason, we are so grateful to have had this preliminary process with this group before moving into the traditional public process. Having a design that meets the needs voiced clearly from this group makes for a very strong proposal and a better end result.

The conceptual plan for this neighborhood is designed to reflect the familiar mix in Vermont architecture types while preserving the unique historical character of the Chalet. The plan includes townhouses, multi-unit buildings, and duplexes.

3 categories of housing are planned for this site:

1) homeownership opportunities in 5 duplexes available through our shared equity program (learn more about that here)

2) general rental apartments ranging from studios to 3 bedrooms. These will be leased to indiviudals and families  with the rents set to meet a wide range of local incomes.

3) Supportive housing: these have on-site support for residents.

Windham & Windsor Housing Trust develops and manages multifamily buildings across the region which are mixed income housing meaning the income qualifications meet a range of area incomes. Think cashier, families, child care workers, school support staff, young professionals, social services, retired folks, persons with disabilities and more. We have a robust resident support team called SASH For All which includes a registered nurse, a resource coordinator, and mental health clinician. Find more here.

Fundraising: 2024-2025

Permitting: Fall 2024

 Construction: Late 2025

There are people already living on site. We follow federal relocation policy which means a portion of the new units will be occupied by the current resident. Others may choose to relocate permantently elsewhere. The remaining new units will be available to the public. The majority of these will be rentals and we do have 10 shared equity homeownership dwellings planned (over the two phases of development).

For homeownership: please sign up for the Homebuyer Education Workshop to begin eligibility for the shared equity opportunities.

For rentals: When the application process begins (about 2 months before construction is complete) we’ll advertise directly in Brattleboro through paper advertisements and online annoucements. This is where you can help! Please share within your networks!  If you are on a waitlist for another property and would like to apply for this building, please reach out to us once the application period opens as the lists do not overlap.

Below is a chart of Brattleboro household incomes which would qualify for the general rentals and the shared equity homeownership. To ensure the property meets a range of incomes and permanent affordability, there are units available to households to each of the following levels.

Eligibility is based on income we also do background checks and require references. Below is a table of incomes we will be working with. 

The applications are not yet open for this property. No waitlist exists for this property. Once applications are available (end of construction phase), we will post “now leasing signs” and advertise locally.  The applications will request income information. Background checks are conducted as well as references are requested.

Yes. WWHT will own the building under an LP and therefore will pay the property taxes to the town.

You may be surprised to learn that as much as 60% of the funds for a WWHT project comes from investors (such as local banks) rather than from state or federal governments. These investors receive a tax credit in exchange for the funding they provide. This is referred to as a Public-Private Partnership. To capture these funds, an organization must be a competative applicant with a proven track record of success of implementing funders priorities (ex: supporting vitality of downtowns, historic preservation, economic development).

The remaining 40% of funding is awarded to projects which meet stringent development guidelines for housing quality and safety (see list of funding sources below). Development guidelines include environmental restoration, historic standards, Federal energy efficiency standards, Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and other state and federal mandates. These mandates are good public policy, improve quality of life, and they do add cost.

A significant factor in the overall cost of developing affordable housing has been the escalation of construction costs in recent years. Because the cost of construction is such a large portion of the total housing development budget for WWHT projects, when construction costs go up so do project budgets.

Funding sources can include:
Vermont Housing Finance Agency, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, HUD HOME, Community Recovery & Revitalization Program, Solar Tax Credit, Efficiency Vermont, Congressionally Directed Spending from Senator Sanders

Affordable housing, low income housing, workforce housing, housing, homes, public housing, subsidized housing, market rate housing, missing middle housing.

We approach the housing converation from this perspective: Offering the whole range of housing solutions empowers community members to find the fit that works for them and their families.

Having a home is a basic need- without access to stable housing, so much uncertainty follows. People use the terms listed above to talk about housing and meeting the community’s range of needs but they’re often undefined and used randomly, inadvertently causing confusion. Technically, affordable housing means a person spends no more than 30% of their income towards housing costs. Our mission is to provide this through housing opportunities and programs across a range of income levels. All these other terms are geared towards a general idea of income ranges or how that housing is funded and/or managed. At this point in time, housing that’s avialable at “market rate”  (driven by the market prices) isn’t actually affordable (as defined above) to the people who live here.

Thank you for getting involved! There are several ways you can lend your support.

1) Attend local board meetings and hearings

2) Write a letter to the editor discussing why you’re excited about the project

3) Give a donation to support this development. Contact Marion to be part of this fundraising effort: mmajor@homemattershere.org

4) Confront misinformation or harmful stereotypes online and in conversation