Peacham Community Housing

03/02/2026

Important Update from Peacham Community Housing

PCH Update March 2026

Neighbors,

Peacham Community Housing (PCH) exists for a simple purpose: to support and enable community projects that enhance Peacham's quality of life. We do that by working patiently and persistently to protect the housing we have and create a little more affordable housing when opportunities appear.

This is an update on the work many of you have been following for quite some time: the Academy Apartments and the Science Building renovations.

The story in one line: we’re still moving forward. The plan hasn’t changed. The timeline has.

What we’re doing

Two connected efforts are moving ahead:

Improvements to the Academy Apartments / Academy buildings, focused on long-term stability and upkeep.

Renovation of the vacant Science Building, with the goal of creating four affordable apartments inside it.

This project has taken years because it’s not just “fixing up buildings,” It’s a chain of steps that have to line up—planning, engineering, approvals, and funding—and if one link slows down, everything behind it waits.

Why RuralEdge, and why the ownership transfer

As announced last year, PCH has an agreement with RuralEdge to undertake the redevelopment work. As part of that, ownership of the relevant properties will transfer from PCH to RuralEdge.
We know that’s a big sentence. Here’s what it means in plain terms:

This project becomes possible when it’s bundled at a scale that can compete for funding, including being paired with the Danville Grandview Apartment renovations.

It also becomes possible when the developer has the staff and experience to carry the technical and compliance load—engineers, environmental and historic reviews, accessibility and energy requirements, and multiple approvals. We’re a volunteer board; we can’t realistically be the developer/operator for a project with these requirements.

The Academy Green, the Peacham Guild building, and the Peacham Cafe building will remain under PCH's ownership, and there are no changes to the ongoing plans for any of those properties.

What stays the same

Even with the ownership transfer, PCH is not stepping out of the picture. We will remain the local partner, staying connected to RuralEdge and helping maintain a real, ongoing relationship between the community and the housing that will be created and operated here. This relationship is formally established as a part of our transaction agreement with RuralEdge.

Timeline update

The timeline has shifted:

The original transition target was December, but it was moved due to changes in federal funding timing (now resolved).
At our annual meeting in January, March was the target.

Right now, the transition (and the start of the renovation work) is targeted for the fall.

We know that’s frustrating. We feel it too. To be honest, we’re of two minds about this. On one hand, it is easy to feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy pulls the football away right as he's about to kick it. We’ve been working on this for years, and these final hurdles can be incredibly frustrating. But on the other hand, to take a lesson from Charlie Browne, Peacham legend and former president of PCH, patience and persistence always win the day.
The important thing we want neighbors to hear is: the plan has not changed—Academy Apartment improvements and four affordable apartments in the Science Building remain the goal, and the work continues.

Because the timeline for renovations has extended, we're opening a couple of vacant apartments at Academy Apartments to our waiting list. We had previously held off on filling these units while we awaited the winter renovation work. Since that timeline has shifted to the fall, we're now able to welcome new residents from our waiting list.

Stay involved

Board meetings are open, and anyone who wants more details or has questions is welcome to attend. Furthermore, we’re also always looking for more help—new board members, volunteers, and community members who want to keep Peacham awesome.

Our next Board meeting is on March 10 at 6:30 pm on Zoom.
Thank you for your continued patience and support. We are almost there.

Sincerely,

The Board of Peacham Community Housing (PCH)

01/19/2026

12/11/2025

Come join us this Saturday!

11/13/2025

Final call for submissions!

07/01/2025

Have you heard?!

The people behind the Peacham annual Tractor Parade and Farmers Market are getting excited to welcome you to our beautiful, little corner of the world!

The market will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Town Green (next to the Town Hall). Come grab some drinks and food to enjoy as you watch the parade from Baylen-Hazen or Church St, starting at 11 a.m.

Once the parade is over, take a stroll around the town and check out all the various happenings, before popping back over to the market to grab fresh bread, meats and produce to bring home with you.

Please note, not all of our vendors are set up to accepted credit cards, so we encourage you to bring cash or checks. You never know what surprises you'll find here.

See you next week!

07/01/2025

Guild July Newsletter - https://mailchi.mp/fc21ea56d950/guild-opening-in-may-7235280

06/21/2025

Guild June Newsletter - http://eepurl.com/jfGPSs

05/20/2025

PCH Spring Update - May 2025

Celebration of Life for Mary Williams, beloved resident of the Academy Apartments, as shared by her family:

Mary Virginia Williams
"Miss Mary"
July 19, 1944 - December 21, 2024

Please join us Saturday, June 14, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. for a Graveside Service at Peacham Cemetery. A gathering will follow at The Traina Camp on Harvey's Lake with light refreshments and snacks. Kindly RSVP - Patty (813) 362-9540. Everyone is welcome. Please share!

Science Building & Academy Apartment Renovation Update:

In our last update we reported that the design development phase would begin in March, which it did. Engineers and architects are in the process of putting together detailed initial designs that will allow for an accurate cost estimate, making sure that the initial design ideas fit within the budget. In June, the PCH Board will meet with RE to review the initial designs and to give our feedback. Shortly after that, possibly in late June or July, PCH will schedule a community meeting where there will be an opportunity for the community to review, discuss and give meaningful feedback about the designs. The construction documents will not be finalized until August. The property transfer is currently slated for September with 10 months of construction commencing in October. This timeline is subject to outside factors and could change.

The current schedule, as laid out by RuralEdge:

Design Development: March-May 2025
Cost Estimate: May 2025
Construction Documents: June-August 2025
Bid: Early September 2025
Closing: Late September 2025
Construction Start: October 2025
Construction Schedule: ~10-months

Kingdom Construction will be serving as the construction manager for this project, with the job of ensuring that it comes in on-time and on-budget.

We understand that folks are concerned about whether this project may be affected by the uncertainties surrounding federal and state funding in the recent months, as well as volatile material costs related to tariffs. According to Patrick Shattuck at RuralEdge, all committed funding remains secure and there are possible funding contingency plans and value engineering that could be used if costs do rise beyond what has been budgeted. He also wanted to share that “In these times of reduced funding availability and potential shifts in federal housing programs, the preservation of important existing housing resources, and positioning these developments to operate successfully into the future is a top priority. Our efforts in Peacham and Danville do just that and are so consistent with our mission of strengthening Northeast Kingdom communities one home at a time.”

Finally, we wanted to reiterate that RuralEdge is legally obligated to assist and pay for the temporary relocation of residents of the Academy Apartments during the construction period. RuralEdge staff will likely be meeting with residents in the early summer to begin planning with the residents.

Shop Local at the Peacham Corner Guild!

The Guild is open for business Friday-Sunday, 10am-4pm. Peacham Corner Guild is a cooperative shop showcasing the fine arts, crafts, antiques, vintage items, and specialty food products created by its members. https://www.peachamcornerguild.com/

Visit the Peacham Café!

Next door to the Guild, find the Peacham Café offering a simple and delicious menu, using high quality, super local ingredients whenever possible. Open: Friday 11-2 & Saturday-Monday 9-2
https://www.peachamcafe.org/

Farmers Market!

Mark your calendars for the first Farmers’ Market of the year on July 4th! Stroll through the Farmers Market and pick up fresh local offerings before grabbing a strawberry shortcake to enjoy while you watch the Annual Tractor Parade. You’ll find fresh vegetables, strawberries, mushrooms, ceramics, fresh bread, pies, coffee, popsicles, meats, cheeses, fresh eggs, maple products, noodle bowls, hamburgers, hot dogs and music by Footworks! https://peachamfarmersmarket.wixsite.com/mysite

If you have any questions or ideas that would help us support our mission we encourage you to reach out to a board member or email us at: [email protected].
More info online on Facebook & www.peacham.org/portfolio/peacham-community-housing/

Sincerely,

The PCH Board of Directors: Jake Thomas, President; Morgan Gold, Secretary; Lisa Moore, Treasurer; Pat Cousineau; Tim Scott; Diana Senturia; Allie Webster; Rick Witt.

A community-supported café in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, featuring great coffee, breakfasts, lunches, local fare, and free Wi-fi.

05/14/2025

03/18/2025

Peacham Farmers Market 😁 starts in July!! On the Peacham Academy Green.