• Opening Plenary Session
• Morning Break-Out Sessions
• Lunch Plenary Session
• Afternoon Break-Out Sessions
• Summary from the Closing Session

Morning Break-Out Sessions

Creative Options track

Old and New: Traditional neighborhoods support vibrant, healthy, community living, mixing a variety of uses in close proximity. In recent decades, neighborhoods have been developed as single-use residential areas. New approaches echo the past, blending different types of housing and other uses into neighborhoods. Shared housing is defined as two or more unrelated people who share a home. An Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) is an additional living unit that has separate kitchen, sleeping, and bathroom facilities, attached or detached from the primary residential unit on a single-family lot. Co-housing combines private homes with shared common facilities and ongoing connections with neighbors.

Presenters: Jeff Erkelens (slides, handout), Peter Lazar (slides, handout), Kirby Dunn (no PowerPoint. Visit the HomeShare Vermont website at http://www.homesharevermont.org/)
Moderator: Chris Murray, Business Development Director, JABA

Policy track

Density & Sprawl: New developments on open tracts in rural areas are easy to plan and construct, enabling buyers to get more house for the money, but contributing to sprawl. Redevelopment or infill development in more urban areas is more difficult, but can result in densities that support walking, make transit options viable, and protect rural areas. This session presented photographs and graphics of various densities, explored traffic impact and transit potential, and discussed the character of neighborhoods in urban and rural settings.

Presenters: Bruce Dotson (slides, handout), Ron Utt , Juan Wade (slides)
Moderator: Natasha Sienitsky, Research Associate, The Free Enterprise Forum

Resources for Affordability track

Stay or go: Owning a home can stabilize housing costs and convey pride of ownership. Various factors can bring pressures to sell or move, such as rising real estate taxes, the need for repair, and changes in abilities that require significant modifications or in-home services. This session addressed the pressures and present various strategies to remain in place.

Housing in Community track

Fit In or Stand Out: Housing does not exist in a vacuum, but is part of the community landscape. Using designs that fit into the neighborhood context can help affordable housing be more readily accepted. Incorporating green building techniques or universal design into homes can be done seamlessly, with homes looking like their neighbors while being more energy-efficient and accessible. On the other hand, distinctive design and features can provide a marketing edge for selling homes. This session examined the relative merits of blending into the neighborhood context or making a bold statement to be noticed.

Presenters: Richard Price (slides, handout), Elaine Echols (slides, handout), Bill Fuller (slides, handout)
Moderator: Bill Wanner, Senior Regional Planner, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission