What Champlain Housing Trust does

Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community land trust headquartered in Burlington, Vermont, serving the three Northwest Vermont counties of Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle. Founded in 1984 (formalized in its present form through the 2006 merger of Burlington Community Land Trust and Lake Champlain Housing Development Corporation), CHT operates an integrated affordable housing portfolio spanning 2,400+ rental apartments across tax-credit, market-rate, and subsidized tiers; a Shared Equity Homeownership program with 679 homes and 1,322 cumulative sales over 40 years; cooperative housing (six member-owned co-ops), manufactured-home lot communities, community facilities (Old North End Community Center, O'Brien Community Center, storage units), and a lending suite (Home Repair Loans, Manufactured Housing Down Payment Loan, Farmworker Housing Repair/Replacement, and VHIP 2.0). The organization employs 115 staff and is governed by a 15-member board with tripartite representation (one-third each public, general, resident members) elected annually by the membership.

CHT's underlying technology is the Community Land Trust ground-lease model combined with a Shared Equity appreciation formula: home buyers receive a 20–30% subsidy, purchase below market, and on resale share 75% of appreciation with CHT (retaining 25% plus 100% of mortgage principal paydown and capital improvements). Digital operations run entirely on third-party platforms: RealPage OneSite and ActiveBuilding for property management, LOFT Living for tenant portals (rent payment via ACH, maintenance work orders, notifications), Neighborly Software for loan applications, eHome America for HomeBuyer Education, and Constant Contact for email marketing. Notable technical differentiators include Vermont's first neighborhood-scale geothermal system (Riggs Meadows, Hinesburg, 36 units, 12–16 boreholes up to 400 feet deep), zero-energy modular home construction, 0% silent-second manufactured housing down-payment loans, and tenant orientation videos produced in 15 languages.

The revenue model is hybrid and nonprofit-structured. Recurring subscription-like streams include monthly rental income (~$1,000–$2,800 per unit by bedroom tier and county), Shared Equity ground lease/membership fees, cooperative member charges ($813–$1,100/month), manufactured-home lot rentals (from $351/month), storage unit rentals ($65–$120/month), and lending interest. Transaction-based revenue includes Shared Equity resale transaction fees ($1,500) and CHT's 75% appreciation recapture on resale. Grants, donations, and government appropriations (TD Charitable Foundation $200K in 2025, Vermont CDBG $3.5M+, federal funds of $30M+ for 2024 projects) constitute a major funding source. Customer segments are low- and moderate-income households earning under 80% AMI for subsidized/lending products, with explicit racial-equity targeting (25% of last-5-year Shared Equity buyers are people of color). Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer through the getahome.org website, supplemented by community-led advocacy, structured application processes for developer/landlord counter-parties, and a member-driven governance model. CHT holds NMLS ID #179570 and is a licensed mortgage lender.

Name

Champlain Housing Trust

Legal name

Champlain Housing Trust

Website

https://getahome.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Champlain Housing Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community land trust in Burlington, Vermont, serving Northwest Vermont. It operates 2,400+ rental apartments, a Shared Equity Homeownership program (679 homes, 1,322 sales over 40 years), cooperative housing, manufactured-home communities, lending programs, and community facilities for low- and moderate-income households.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Rental Housing Income (Tax-Credit, Market-Rate, Subsidized): Recurring monthly rental income from ~2,400+ apartments across tax-credit, market-rate, and subsidized properties (subsidized tenants pay 30% of income). Fixed rents by bedroom size; effectively a long-term lease stream under property management operations.
2. Shared Equity Home Resale Revenue: When a Shared Equity homeowner sells, CHT recoups its investment and retains 75% of appreciation (owner receives 25%) plus a $1,500 transaction fee, recycling the home to a new income-qualified buyer. Generates capital that funds additional subsidies.
3. Ground Lease & Membership Fees: Shared equity homeowners pay ongoing monthly ground lease/membership fees to CHT for the life of ownership, which fund post-purchase counseling, education, advocacy, and stewardship. Condo HOAs (e.g., South Meadow, Coolidge, City's Edge, Westwood) often include the fee.
4. Housing Repair & Improvement Loan Interest: Interest income from owner-occupied home repair loans and landlord loans; some products offer forgivable or 0% structure (e.g., Manufactured Housing 0% silent-second loan, Farmworker forgivable 0% loans). Loans secured by mortgages.
5. Community Facility Rental Income: CHT leases space in the Old North End Community Center and O'Brien Community Center to nonprofit and public tenants; rents event-hall space and storage units ($65–$120/unit/month).
6. Grants, Donations & Government Funding: Grants from foundations (TD Charitable Foundation, Citizens Bank, Efficiency Vermont, etc.), state and federal funding (CDBG, USDA, HUD, VHIP appropriations), and individual donations. Major recent awards: $200K TD, $15K Citizens, $3.5M+ Vermont CDBG, $30M+ federal funds for housing projects.
7. Co-op Member Housing Charges: Recurring monthly member charges for residents of CHT-managed housing cooperatives (e.g., Bright Street $813, Flynn Avenue $916, House of Hildegard $1,000, Queensbury $836, Rose Street Artists $894, Thelma Maple $1,100).
8. Manufactured Home Lot Rental: Monthly lot rental at CHT-owned manufactured home communities (e.g., Sunset Terrace from $351/month, Pearl St MHP, French Hill Manor).
9. Homebuyer Education Workshop Fees: $99 fee for the HomeBuyer Education Certificate Program (up to two people) and $10 for estate planning workshops; fee-based learning products alongside free classes (Basics of Buying, Shared Equity Info Meeting).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Champlain Housing Trust is a 501(c)(3) community land trust that develops, owns, and stewards permanently affordable rental housing, manufactured home lots, and cooperative housing across Northwest Vermont, while administering a Shared Equity Homeownership program and a suite of low-interest or forgivable home repair, replacement, and improvement loans. The organization combines property management of approximately 2,400 apartments with homebuyer and tenant education, community-facility stewardship, and member-driven governance to keep housing affordable in perpetuity across resales.

Product overview

Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) is a community land trust offering an integrated, multi-program service portfolio rather than a single unified software product. Its core offerings span four interconnected pillars: (1) Rental Housing, including market-rate, tax-credit, and subsidized apartments, Cooperative Housing, and Manufactured Home Lot Rental across 15+ cities; (2) the Shared Equity Homeownership Program (with the Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity Partnership) for affordable home buying; (3) a Lending suite comprising Home Repair Loans (with $3,000 matching grants), the Manufactured Housing Down Payment Loan, the Vermont Farmworker Housing Repair/Replacement Loan Program, and VHIP 2.0; and (4) Education programs — Basics of Buying a Home, the HomeBuyer Education Certificate Program, Ready, Set, Rent!, and HomeOwner University — required or supportive of the housing programs. Supporting assets include Community Facilities (Old North End Community Center, O'Brien Community Center, and storage units) and the suspended TACHT consulting arm. The portfolio is unified by CHT's mission of permanently affordable housing and community land trust stewardship across northwest Vermont, delivered through third-party tenant and loan portals (LOFT Living, RealPage OneSite, ActiveBuilding, Neighborly Software, eHome America).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rental Housing (Find An Apartment) Rental housing program offering market-rate, tax-credit, and waitlist apartments across 15+ cities in Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties, managed through the LOFT Living, RealPage OneSite, and ActiveBuilding portals. Studio through 4-bedroom units with county-specific pricing (e.g., Chittenden County 1BR from $1,325 tax-credit / $1,486 market-rate).
• Subsidized Apartments Income-based rental housing where households pay 30% of their income toward rent; includes dedicated properties for seniors, disabled households, and families (e.g., Alburgh Family Housing, Pine Manor, Point School Apartments, Pleasant Street, Rail City Subsidized, Swanton School Apartments, Allen Canal Apartments).
• Cooperative Housing Member-owned housing co-ops combining aspects of renting and owning, with residents acting as both occupants and shareholders in the cooperative corporation. CHT operates Bright Street Co-op, Flynn Avenue Co-op, House Of Hildegard Co-op, Queensbury Housing Co-op, Rose Street Artists' Co-op, and Thelma Maple Co-op, with monthly member charges from $813 to $1,100.
• Manufactured Home Lot Rental Lot rental at manufactured home communities managed by CHT (Sunset Terrace in Swanton, Pearl St Mobile Home Park in St. Albans, French Hill Manor in Williston), from $351/month, with separate waiting list and contact staff.
• Community Facilities (Community Centers and Storage Units) CHT-owned community buildings stewarded as community assets: Old North End Community Center (20 Allen Street, Burlington — renovated former St. Joseph School housing nonprofit tenants serving ~4,000 people), O'Brien Community Center (32 Malletts Bay Avenue, Winooski — redeveloped with City of Winooski to include health, library, and event spaces), and 78 Rose Street storage units in Burlington ($65–$120/month).
• Shared Equity Homeownership Program CHT's signature affordable home-buying program providing 20–30% down payment assistance through state/federal funds, allowing buyers to purchase with no down payment and a reduced mortgage, while preserving permanent affordability by sharing 75% of appreciation with CHT at resale. 679 homes in portfolio, 1,322 total sales, average subsidy ~30% of purchase price; ground lease gives CHT ownership of land.
• Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity Partnership Joint program with Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity (GMHfH) where GMHfH builds new homes and CHT sells them through the Shared Equity Program; buyers must qualify for both programs, complete 200 hours of sweat equity, and meet tighter income limits (e.g., 1-person max $69,850; 4-person max $99,750).
• Home Repair Loans (with $3,000 Grant) Low-cost, flexible-term loans plus up to $3,000 matching grants from the CHT Loan Fund for critical health and safety repairs (roofs, heating/hot water, electrical, plumbing, wells, septic, energy, accessibility) for owner-occupied and landlord properties in Chittenden, Franklin, and Grand Isle Counties (Burlington not eligible); requires <80% AMI.
• Manufactured Housing Down Payment Loan 0.00% interest, deferred "silent second" down payment assistance loans to help income-qualified households replace an old mobile home with a new Energy Star or Zero Energy Ready manufactured/modular home: $30,000 for homes in parks/leased land, $40,000 for homes on owned land or zero-energy modular in parks; assumable.
• Vermont Farmworker Housing Repair Loan Program Two farmworker-specific CHT programs to preserve and improve farmworker housing: (1) FWH forgivable repair loans up to $30,000 at 0% interest, forgiven over 10 years; (2) FWHR replacement loans up to $120,000, interest and payment free until sale/transfer, with first $30,000 forgiven at $3,000/year over 10 years. UVM Extension provides support.
• Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP 2.0) State-funded program administered by CHT offering rental property owners up to $50,000 per unit in 5- or 10-year forgivable loans for rehabbing vacant units, code compliance in occupied units, structural repairs affecting multiple units, new unit creation (including ADUs), and new structures with ≤5 units; requires 20% match, HUD Fair Market Rent covenant, Fair Housing training, and acceptance of housing vouchers.
• HomeBuyer Education Certificate Program $99 fee for the HomeBuyer Education Certificate Program (covers up to two people) and includes annual CHT membership; required for Shared Equity Program applicants and delivered via eHome America self-paced online coursework.
• Storage Units (78 Rose Street) Storage units for rent at 78 Rose Street, Burlington (Old North End), with 24/7 access, month-to-month or annual terms, priced $65–$120 per unit per month depending on size.

Quantifiable outcome

• 357 households served for $2.2M investment (5x more efficient than traditional homeownership programs requiring $10.6M for the same outcome)
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature6 records

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Grounded Solutions Network: National membership network supporting community land trusts and shared-equity homeownership programs; CHT CEO Michael Monte serves on its board. Directly comparable in mission around permanently affordable CLT stewardship, with broader network reach.
• NeighborWorks America: National network of 240+ community development nonprofits providing affordable housing, lending, and counseling. CHT is connected through the NeighborWorks Homeownership Center network used for homebuyer counseling; comparable in integrated housing+lending+education model.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Global nonprofit building affordable homes via volunteer labor and Sweat Equity; operates a parallel subsidized homeownership model that competes with and complements CHT's Shared Equity Program (e.g., Green Mountain Habitat partnership). Comparable in low-income homeownership product but operates at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity: Vermont affiliate of Habitat for Humanity building affordable homes for first-time buyers; partnered with CHT to sell homes through the Shared Equity Program. Closely aligned in product (subsidized homeownership for low-income households) and Sweat Equity / qualifying buyer model.
• Cathedral Square Corporation: Vermont nonprofit providing affordable housing, primarily for seniors and people with disabilities. Operates a multifamily affordable rental portfolio comparable to CHT's subsidized/market-rate units and shares Vermont-based development financing dynamics.
• Burlington Housing Authority: Local public housing authority serving Burlington and surrounding communities; partners with CHT on multilingual tenant education and co-produced affordable housing. Operates subsidized public housing stock directly comparable to CHT's subsidized rental portfolio.
• Evernorth: Vermont-focused affordable housing co-developer; partnered with CHT on Riggs Meadows geothermal and multiple developments. Comparable in mission and product (LIHTC/tax-credit multifamily rental in Vermont), making it the closest operating peer to CHT's development arm.
• Downstreet Housing and Community Development: Central Vermont (Barre) community development corporation offering rental, homeownership, and lending programs similar to CHT's integrated service portfolio. Former employer of CHT's Director of Homeownership; directly comparable in mission and product mix.

Others

• Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA): State housing finance agency funding affordable rental and ownership development across Vermont; a partner to CHT and operator of statewide lending programs. Comparable in focus but acts as a capital allocator rather than direct owner/operator.
• Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB): State funder that awarded CHT the 2017 Outstanding Partnership recognition; finances affordable housing and conservation across Vermont. Closely aligned mission and active funder role, but acts as a grantor rather than operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat8 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL0uaGz81U--68KYaztTAnGA0cvRdihb_3
• Facebookfacebook.com/CHTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/champlainhousingtrust
• Xx.com/chtrust

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Champlain Housing Trust