Section 1
Intent It is the intent of the Vermont Weatherization Trust
Fund (VWTF) program that all low income Vermonters be eligible to participate
in the program regardless of their status as a homeowner or tenant. To that end
the program encourages rental property owners to participate while preserving
the affordability and availability of rental housing for low income
persons.
Section 2 Rent
Stabilization Agreement
1. All rental property
owners participating in the program shall complete a Weatherization Program
Landlord Agreement as approved by the State Office of Economic Opportunity. The
term of such agreements shall range from 1 - 10 years. The term is to be
negotiated to provide the maximum benefit to the low-income tenants.
2. Projects which involve the replacement of
a heating system shall require the Landlord Agreement to extend at least 2
years.
Section 3 Funds
Recapture
1. Should a rental property be sold
within 3 years of the completion of the project, the rental property owner
shall return a portion of the total cost of the project less any owner
copayment according to the following schedule:
Closing Date Payment
0 - 12 months
resulting in loss of low-income occupancy 100%
not resulting in loss of low-income occupancy 75%
13 - 24 months 50%
25 - 36 months 25%
2. Payments shall be forwarded to the State
Office of Economic Opportunity for deposit into the Vermont Weatherization
Trust Fund.
3. A suitable lien
agreement approved by the State Office of Economic Opportunity, shall be
utilized.
Section 4 Owner
Copayments Heating System Replacement
1. The
replacement of heating systems for rental properties is eligible under the
program with the preapproval of the State Office of Economic
Opportunity.
2. The property owner
shall make a negotiated copayment of a portion of weatherization costs unless
waived by the Office of Economic Opportunity and shall make a copayment of not
less than 50% of the cost of the heating system replacement. Owners who
themselves meet program low-income eligibility standards shall not be required
to make copayments.
3. Failure of
the property owner to agree to a copayment shall not prevent eligible tenants
from receiving weatherization assistance. Such failure shall disqualify the
property from heating system replacement as a program expense.
Section 5
Waiver of requirements The State Office of Economic
Opportunity or other agency administering the VWTF program from time to time
may waive application of any part of this rule upon a finding that doing so
will advance the intent of the program and that the benefits of weatherization
assistance will accrue primarily to eligible low-income
tenants.
