New Neighborhood to Take Shape in Hinesburg

Permanently Affordable Rentals and Homes for Sale to be Built on Land Donated by Local Leader Jan Blomstrann

[HINESBURG, VT] - On Tuesday, October 13, 2026 officials gathered at Town Hall to mark will soon be a hive of construction activity on the corner of Riggs Road and Route 116 in Hinesburg to build new affordable housing developed by Champlain Housing Trust and Evernorth. Named Riggs Meadow, 36 new permanently affordable apartments are set to be under construction soon as the first in a multi-phased development that will ultimately include homes for sale, a childcare center and walking trails.

Jan Blomstrann, local business leader and philanthropist, donated 46 acres to the Champlain Housing Trust between Route 116, Riggs Road and CVU Road with a vision of making Hinesburg more affordable. The parcel will be developed in two phases: first these 36 apartments to be followed by eight homes built in partnership with Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity next Spring. A second phase will include as many as another 32 homes - a mixture of affordable and market rate - and the childcare center.

"We are grateful to Jan for her gift and her vision and look forward to adding much needed affordable housing here in Hinesburg where costs have skyrocketed in recent years," said Michael Monte, CEO of the Champlain Housing Trust. Hinesburg median sales price for a home was $429,000 in 2025 - up roughly 60% in the last ten years.

An innovative partnership with Vermont Gas (VGS) is allowing the new housing in phase one to be fossil-fuel free - all electric, with solar-ready construction, and heating and cooling through a community geothermal system installed by VGS.

"We are excited to be building 36 permanently affordable rental homes in Hinesburg," said Kathy Beyer, Evernorth's Senior Vice President for Development. "The community of Hinesburg is a shining example of how towns can take steps to encourage the building of new housing in the village growth area."

Riggs Meadow will serve a range of income levels and contribute to CHT's efforts to provide diverse apartment sizes, including larger homes for families. Riggs Meadow will include 16 one-bedrooms, 16 two-bedrooms, and four three-bedroom apartments.

The nonprofit developers assembled eleven different sources of funding for the initial rentals being built, including support from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, Vermont Housing Finance Agency, Vermont Community Development Program, Evernorth's 481 Fund II, NeighborWorks® America, and energy incentives from Green Mountain Power and Efficiency Vermont. TD Bank is providing construction financing.

The apartments, designed by Wiemann Lamphere Architects and constructed by D.E.W. Construction, are slated to be completed around the end of 2027.