{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-vermont-nets-250000-for-low-income-housing-improvements", "Leahy: Vermont Nets $250,000 For Low-Income Housing Improvements", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.05.14\n\t\t\t Leahy: Vermont Nets $250,000 For Low-Income Housing Improvements \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t . . . NEK REAP Zone Status Helps To Propel VT To 2nd-Highest Awards In The Nation\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t (THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014) \u2013 Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday joined in announcing $250,000 in awards to four organizations across Vermont to improve housing conditions for low-income rural residents. \u00a0Two of the grants were given preference because of the Leahy-led Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zone in Vermont\u2019s Northeast Kingdom -- a USDA Rural Development Designation recognizing the unique rural nature of a region that prioritizes the region\u2019s grant applications.\u00a0 Thanks in part to Vermont\u2019s REAP Zone status, Vermont received more than nearly every other state in this round of awards, second only to California. \u00a0\r\nLeahy said:\u00a0 \u201cThese are community-strengthening investments that will make a real difference to families in Vermont. \u00a0The NEK\u2019s REAP Zone continues to be a catalyst for investment in housing, infrastructure and economic growth in the region.\u201d\r\nUSDA Rural Development New Hampshire and Vermont State Director Ted Brady\u00a0said:\u00a0 \u201cThese USDA grants enable low-income homeowners to address major safety, health and weatherization concerns in their homes, reducing the likelihood that they\u2019ll lose their home or be forced to move. Vermont is fortunate that a provision of the 2014 Farm Bill authored by Senator Leahy gives organizations from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont preference in receiving these funds.\u201d\r\nLeahy was instrumental in securing the NEK REAP Zone in 2000 and won an extension of the designation in this year\u2019s Farm Bill.\u00a0 The NEK\u2019s REAP Zone status has been the key to securing ongoing investments in collaborative and citizen-led efforts to strengthen economic development.\u00a0 These latest grants were awarded through the USDA Rural Development\u2019s Housing Preservation Grant Program, which provides assistance to low-income homeowners to repair and rehabilitate their homes.\u00a0 The grants were part of $4.8 million released by the Housing Preservation Grant Program on Thursday.\u00a0\r\nThe grants were awarded to Northeast Employment and Training Organization, Vermont Center for Independent Living, Southeastern Vermont Community Action and Gilman Housing Trust, Inc. to make weatherization and efficiency improvements to more than 60 low-income homes.\r\nThe grants are listed below:\r\nVermont Center for Independent Living:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0$25,000\r\nSoutheastern Vermont Community Action: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0$25,000\r\nNortheast Employment and Training Organization: \u00a0 $100,000\r\nGilman Housing Trust, Inc.:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0$100,000\r\n# # # # #\r\nPress Contact:\r\nDavid Carle 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tPress Contact  David Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/leahy-vermont-nets-250000-for-low-income-housing-improvements"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8388450369238853, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}