Housing
Information
The Cathedral Square Difference
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Whitney Hill Homestead Whitney Hill Homestead is designed in the style of an extended farmhouse with long porches and courtyards. It provides a warm and gracious setting for those 55 and older who wish to combine independent living with reduced maintenance. With its pastoral setting, Whitney Hill offers a relaxed environm... More Information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I would like to speak to someone about housing options. Who can I speak with?A:
1.) You may call Cathedral Square Corporation's direct number at (802) 863-2224 for general information about housing options and current vacancies.
2.) You may come and visit our Resource Center located at 412 Farrell Street, Suite 100, South Burlington, Vermont, where a member of our staff would be pleased to speak with you about housing options.
3.) You may visit www.cathedralsquare.org. This is an excellent way to get up-to-date information about all of our properties.
Q: Is there anyone available to help me fill out the application if I need help?
A: Yes, we have staff that is available to help you understand and answer any questions that you may have. You can call us at (802) 863-2224 to schedule an appointment or you may visit our main office located at 412 Farrell Street, Suite 100, South Burlington, VT 05403, to meet with staff from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday.
Q: I have a relative, who is no longer able to maintain their home, but who is still able to live independently. How do I assist them with finding appropriate housing? How can I get started?
A: Your first step would be to gather information about the choices available for your relative depending on their age, income and personal preferences. Next you would assist them with filling out a rental application and placing them on the waitlist for the property or properties that are best suited for their needs. To assist with this, Cathedral Square has staff available to answer questions. We also will mail you a packet of information on each of our properties, and we also have helpful information at www.cathedralsquare.org. Because there is often six months to a year wait for a vacancy, the sooner your relative is placed on a waitlist, the sooner they will have the opportunity to move in to housing that meets their needs.
Q: What are the eligibility requirements for your properties?
A: Each property has eligibility requirements. We have some properties that are age 55 and older, some that are 62 and older OR disabled, some that are for families who are furthering their education and others that serve individuals with particular special needs. Many sites have income eligibility requirements, but some units do not. To find out more information please call our main office at (802) 863-2224.
Q: Is there a waiting list for an apartment?
A: At this time there are waitlists for each Cathedral Square Community. As a result of this, the length of the waitlist varies from site to site. All waitlists are maintained strictly by date of application received. The many factors involved in filling any unit make it difficult to estimate time frames for length of wait. Openings for an apartment depend on the number of move out's at any given community and the wait may vary from a few months to over a year.
Q: How do I arrange a tour to visit a property?
A: Some properties have monthly tours scheduled and some are by appointment only. You can call our main office at (802) 863-2224 to obtain more information about the tours.
Q: What are the advantages of renting with Cathedral Square?
A: We have a part-time property manager/resident services coordinator at each of our properties to assist residents with understanding their options and obtaining needed services from the outside community. The residents at each of our properties have the option of joining a variety of social activities along with exercise classes and informal educational seminars on topics of interest. Having a circle of friends nearby can be extremely important to the quality of life of residents. We also have a maintenance staff that is on call 24 hours, seven days a week to deal with maintenance emergencies.
Q: Can I have pets?
A: Yes, each resident family may own up to TWO common household pets, only one of which may be a dog, to include a cat, caged bird, hamster, or fish (limit of one 10 gallon tank). Unacceptable dog breeds include: Akita, Argentinian Mastiff, Bull Mastiff, Can Corso, Chow, Doberman Pinchers, English Bull Terrier, German Shepherd, Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweiler, Wolf Hybrids, Mix Breeds that include any of the above, guard dogs, and any dog with a past history of biting or that has demonstrated aggressive behavior. Reptiles, rodents, ferrets, farm animals including pot bellied pigs and rabbits, snakes and similar animals are among those pets not allowed. A refundable pet deposit is required. Q: Do you have both one and two bedroom apartments? A: Most of our properties have both one and two bedroom apartments. There are some that only have one bedroom apartments. For more information you can visit our Properties by Location page on our website.
Q: What is the cost range for CSC housing?
A: Rental fees fall into one of three categories: subsidized, Tax Credit and market-rate. Please see below for a more detailed explanation of the eligibility guidelines related to these categories.
In terms of rent, the categories work as follows:
HUD subsidized: If income and age eligible, you pay approximately 30% of your gross annual income as your rent. For example, if you have a gross annual income of $10,000, you would pay approximately $3,000 a year, or $250 a month.
Tax Credit: If income and age eligible, you pay a fixed-rate rent which will vary from site to site. For example, at Town Meadow in Essex, a one-bedroom Tax Credit apartment costs, at present, $725 per month.
Market Rate: If eligible, you pay a fixed-rate rent which will vary from site to site. For example, at Heineberg Senior Housing, a one-bedroom market rate apartment costs, at present, $815 per month.
Q: What do the following terms mean?
A:
Subsidized:
A resident pays approximately 30% of their income in rent. Each resident in subsidized apartments are recertified annually to determine if they are still eligible for the program. CSC offers some project-based subsidies which means that the subsidy is attached to a specific unit at a specific building. All CSC properties also accept portable vouchers. A portable voucher is a voucher obtained from a Housing Authority and is attached to a household and may be applied to any apartment they move into, provided that Section 8 is accepted at that building. For more information or to apply for the Section 8 portable voucher, please contact the Vermont State Housing Authority, Burlington Housing Authority or Winooski Housing Authority.
Tax Credit:
The rents for tax credit apartments are lower than market rate apartments. To be eligible for this type of housing the household income must meet certain income and age guidelines. (To find out the income guidelines please call the main office at (802) 863-2224). Those eligible for the low-income tax credit program pay a rental amount that was determined when the housing was built and usually increases annually. The rent for a tax credit apartment is not based on the resident's income and does not change if the resident's income changes. Each resident in tax credit apartments are recertified annually to determine if they are still eligible for the program.
Market Rate:
These apartments work the same as renting an apartment privately. We do not need to re-verify income and assets each year for people living in market rate apartments. Upon move-in we simply verify that the applicant is not eligible for the tax credit or subsidy programs.
Q: As a homeowner, I am wondering:
a) If I can maintain ownership of a home and rent a CSC apartment?
b) What happens if I have not sold my house when an apartment becomes available?
c) If I sell my home, how are the sales proceeds treated when you calculate my income eligibility?
A:
a) You can maintain ownership of a home while renting a CSC apartment as long as any income earned from ownership does not place you over-income for the apartment you are renting.
b) Again, you may reside in a CSC apartment and be in the process of selling your home, as long as you do not receive any income from ownership that would place you over-income for the apartment you are renting.
c) It would depend on the disposition of the proceeds after the sale. Since there are many options, it would be best to discuss this on an individual basis with one of our occupancy specialists.
Q: If I need to be away from my apartment for several months, will CSC hold my apartment?
A: It would depend on which funding program you rent your apartment under and the reason for your absence. If you rent a subsidized or Tax Credit apartment, your apartment must be your sole residence and there is a limit to how many days you may be away during a calendar year. If you rent a market rate apartment, your apartment will be held as long as your rent is paid.
Q: Do you have to be low-income to reside at a CSC location?
A: No. Approximately 10% of CSC housing is market-rate, meaning there are no income caps attached to the apartments.
Q: Does CSC have two-bedroom apartments and can my husband and I rent a two-bedroom and receive rental assistance?
A: CSC does have two-bedroom apartments. Generally speaking it is uncommon for the organization which oversees subsidy allocation to permit a couple to reside in a subsidized two-bedroom apartment unless there is a clearly demonstrable medical reason for the second bedroom. However, this is not the case with Tax Credit and market-rate apartments, where there are no restrictions on allocation of two-bedroom units.
