Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) hired Seth Leonard of Winooski for the newly created position of Managing Director of Community Development. Leonard comes to VHFA from the USDA Office of Rural Development, where he served as Housing Program Director for Vermont and New Hampshire. Prior to that, Leonard worked at VHFA for four years as Homeownership Outreach Coordinator.

As Managing Director of Community Development, Leonard will oversee the agency’s rental housing development and management activities as well as supporting the Executive Director in government and community relations and the development of new initiatives.

Until recently, Leonard also served as the mayor of the city of Winooski for four years. During his tenure, Leonard was a strong advocate for affordable housing, and Winooski saw many reforms to encourage new development, including revising the Winooski Municipal Master Plan and zoning codes.