ABOUT US
History
Veterans Benefits Clearinghouse Development Corporation (VBCDC) was formed in 1987 by Veterans Benefits Clearinghouse Inc (VBC), a social service agency that provided services to veterans and their family members from 1977 to 2009. The mission was to move veterans from "Homeless to Homeownership". VBCDC developed the housing and VBC provided the supportive services to veterans. To date VBCDC has developed 575 units of affordable/market housing and over 20,000 square feet of office/community spaced valued at $90 million. The housing is composed of affordable rental housing for the homeless, families, and the elderly. 70-units have been developed as homeownership housing for affordable and market families.
Mission
VBCDC is an non-profit corporation. The mission is to develop affordable housing, provide services to veterans and their family members, and to assist low income families. We provide technical/supportive services to low income residents/veterans and to tenant associations in the 455 units of rental housing the organization owns. We coordinate the many veterans who contact us by coordinating veteran services with Veteran Services at Pine Street Inn. We provide foreclosure prevention/homebuyer classes to veterans and their family members who live in Massachusetts. In addition, the housing development we provide both rental and homeownership housing which would benefit veterans and low/moderate income families.
Executive Director
Harold Raymond is the President/Executive Director of VBCDC since 2009. For the past 30 years Mr. Raymond as owner of Design Development Consultants has been a development consultant for international corporations , for-profit and non-profit organizations, and government agencies. He has assisted them in developing neighborhood master plans, policy research, community centers, school buildings, architectural designs, and real estate development projects. He has assisted goverment agencies, and for-profit/non-profit organizations in building over 4,000 units of affordable/market rate housing, and 200,000 square feet of commercial development with an estimated dvelopment value over $500 million.
As a National Techinal Assistance Advisor with RTC/FDIC, in association with VBC, he assisted over 200 non profit organizations to purchase 96 properties that created over 1,500 units of afordable hosuing. Executive Director of Veterans Benefits Clearing House Mortgage Corporation originating $10 million in mortgages. With the City of Boston Public Facilities Department he was an architect/planner in developing over 250 units of affordable housing and 100,000 square feet in commercial development. Director of Development for Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in implementing the $20 million Dudley Triangle Redevelopment Plan.
Mr. Raymond was an Instructor at the Boston Architectural Center and has lectured at Massachusetts Insitute of Technology (MIT) and New Jersey Insitute of Technology (NJIT). He recieved a Bachelor of Architecture from NJIT and a Master of City Planning and Master of Science in Architecture Studies from MIT where he specialized in urban planning and real estate development.