Housing is for everyone: Creating affordable housing for Vermonters with disabilities.
Upper Valley Services (UVS) has announced a groundbreaking ceremony on August 14, 2025, to celebrate the commencement of construction on the Hamesbest Project, an innovative housing model designed to expand choice and access for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in Vermont.
The project, which is being developed in partnership with Downstreet Housing and Community Development, involves the comprehensive renovation of a single-family home in a historic district in Randolph. Called Hamesbest - Scottish for “Home is Best”- by the family who generously gifted the property to UVS, the home will provide permanent, affordable, and accessible housing for two individuals with I/DD, complete with dedicated on-site staff support. Additionally, the existing garage on the property will be converted into an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), offering independent housing for another individual.
The groundbreaking event, which will begin at Judd Hall on Vermont State University's Randolph campus before moving a short distance down the street to the Hamesbest Project site, marks a milestone in providing permanent, affordable, and accessible housing solutions for individuals with I/DD.
“Hamesbest is more than a housing project—it’s a permanent community asset that reflects our shared commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging,” said Angie Harbin, Downstreet Executive Director. “We’re proud to partner with Upper Valley Services on this innovative model that creates lasting, affordable housing for Vermonters with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
The Hamesbest Project is a direct outcome of Act 186, passed by the Vermont General Assembly in 2022. This legislation mandated a review of housing models for individuals with I/DD by the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living (DAIL) and Green Mountain Self-Advocates (GMSA), leading to pilot planning grants for new housing models across the state. Upper Valley Services, in close partnership with Downstreet Housing and Community Development, was a proud recipient of one such grant.
"We are excited to renovate this important property in order to make housing and support a reality for three people currently in need,” said Gloria Quinn, Executive Director of Upper Valley Services. “Vermonters with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve safe and affordable homes within their communities just like everyone else. We are very grateful to our funders and all who donated to make Hamesbest a dream come true.”
The renovation project is funded in large part through grants from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) and the Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP), underscoring the collaborative effort to address critical housing needs in the state. In addition, UVS has launched a capital campaign to help close a funding gap.
The groundbreaking ceremony will include remarks from leadership at Upper Valley Services, representatives from funding partners, and local and state officials.
Event Details:
• What: Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Hamesbest Project
• When: August 14, 2025, at 10:30am
• Where: Judd Hall, 113 Judd Dr, Randolph Center, VT followed by a visit to the construction site at 45 Water Street Randolph Center
For further information about this project, please visit uvs-vt.org/housing.
About Upper Valley Services (UVS): Upper Valley Services provides lifetime community-based support for individuals with developmental disabilities and adults who qualify for a nursing home level of care by offering a comprehensive range of person-centered services tailored to each individual’s needs, values and choices so that they may live their best lives.
About Downstreet Housing & Community Development: Downstreet Housing & Community Development is a non-profit organization that strengthens the communities of Central Vermont by creating permanently affordable homes, promoting equity and inclusion, and connecting people to the resources and services they need to thrive. Since 1987, Downstreet has been enriching neighborhoods in Washington, Orange, and Lamoille counties through real estate development projects, homeownership programs, supportive services, and a rental portfolio that provides safe, healthy, mixed-income rentals to over 500 households in apartments and manufactured housing communities.
