A Home in the Woods: A Muddy Moose Story

Britt and Kyle lived in their Stowe, VT apartment for years with their two daughters. Their landlord was a local man who was always responsive when called. Home repairs were made on time and done well. Britt and Kyle could afford their rent working jobs they love as a barista and a baker.

But when their building was sold, their story changed.

Their home was bought by an out-of-state landlord who they never even met. Repairs were never addressed, and the rent was raised. Dramatically.

“They just kept raising the rent,” explains Britt. “By the time our apartment wasn’t affordable anymore, there were so few affordable options even left.”

Britt and Kyle weren’t dreaming of owning a home when they learned about Downstreet and Shared Equity Homeownership—a program that helps income-qualifying Vermonters buy homes through down payment assistance grants. They didn’t know if owning a home would even be possible for them. But after seeing a Front Porch Forum post about affordable homes at Muddy Moose in Morrisville, they applied on a whim.

Now they own a log cabin style home in the heart of Vermont.

The Muddy Moose project was unique for both Morrisville and Downstreet. In partnership with Stowe Land Trust, Downstreet converted eight former vacation rentals into full-time, single-family homes while Stowe Land Trust conserved 150 acres of land, hiking and skiing trails, and waterfalls adjacent to the homes.

“From the first moment I met the Downstreet team and saw the cabin, I knew I wanted it,” says Britt. “I wanted my kids to grow up in the woods in Vermont.”

Their kids spend almost all of their time at home biking, playing in the river, or blowing bubbles in the yard. Just this summer, Kyle and the kids saved a family of trout from a shallow river-pool with a baseball hat and relentless determination. Kyle has even taken up birding.

Britt and Kyle used to have to get in the car and drive if they wanted to immerse their family in nature. Today, they simply walk out of their front door.

“The secret dream was always to have a house with a backyard and a disc golf course. It never felt possible,” says Kyle. “A few branches later… we have a mini course right here.”

“Everyone deserves this,” continues Kyle. “This home makes us feel wealthy in all the good ways. We have an abundance of nature. Our mortgage is more affordable than our rent. We have a sense of calm now. There’s no rush or nervousness. There’s so much security.”

When land conservation and affordable housing work together, this is the result: a life that often feels reserved for the well-off becomes accessible to all Vermonters.

“Every day one of us sneaks onto the porch to drink our coffee,” says Britt. “Every day feels like vacation. But it’s home.”

Learn more about our work with Stowe Land Trust and Muddy Moose here. Interested in Shared Equity Homeownership? Learn about the program here.