$420,625 awarded to two projects in Brandon and Castleton
Governor Phil Scott and the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) on March 8 announced $13.3 million in Healthy Homes Initiative awards and $2.2 million in Three-Acre Stormwater Initiative awards to help 46 manufactured housing communities (also known as mobile home parks) repair, replace, and upgrade water infrastructure.
“This initiative shows exactly why it was so important to invest American Rescue Plan Act funding in infrastructure that helped families and communities across the state,” said Governor Phil Scott. “These investments support safe, affordable housing for historically underserved or economically disadvantaged communities, and help residents in manufactured housing communities overcome barriers to fixing water infrastructure issues. Healthy Homes has been an important part of our housing strategy for years, and I hope the Legislature continues to support it.”
Most of the awards will address problems with inadequate or failing wastewater, drinking water, and stormwater systems. The funding covers:
Assessing what needs to be addressed, using contracted engineering firms;
Technical and permitting assistance; and/or
Construction to improve water infrastructure.
“These awards will improve water infrastructure for an estimated 5,608 residents — including 1,882 seniors and 933 children,” said Dept. of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Jason Batchelder. “These residents will not only gain more reliable access to safe drinking water, but they will also benefit from improved drainage, stormwater, and wastewater systems, protecting both them and the environment.”
Community residents, owners, and partners applied for assistance in the fall of 2023 through the ANR Healthy Homes Initiative. This spring, ANR plans to finalize agreements to fund the projects listed below. Awardees are located throughout the state, and at least one community was selected from every county from which an application was received.
Locally, two projects were funded in Rutland County, none in Windsor County.
Triangle Cooperative in Brandon was award services valued at $40,000 and $78,750 for an engineering firm to complete a comprehensive water infrastructure needs assessment, and construction funding for the wastewater system.
Fort Warren Mobile Home Park in Castleton was awarded $301,875 for technical assistance and permitting and construction funding for the drinking water system.
To date, ANR has awarded $28.1 million in ARPA dollars to 67 different manufactured housing communities across the state. This equates to just over one in every four manufactured housing communities in Vermont receiving funding from this program.
