Avery Hill Solar Project Energy-efficiency is important to us and to the people we serve. It’s not just about being “green.” Census and federal energy data show that energy expenditures by low-income households in the Lakes Region eat up 34% to 37% of household income. Unfortunately, this means that there are many families in our region who probably have to choose between paying their electric bill and buying groceries or medicine. Our Avery Hill Solar project in Laconia will eliminate that issue completely for 12 families. Thanks to a generous gift from the Thomas W. Haas Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, we were able to complete a solar feasibility study for all of our scattered site properties in Laconia. The study showed that six of the seven buildings at Avery Hill are excellent candidates for solar PV systems. Avery Hill was one of the first properties that we redeveloped in Laconia back in the early 1990s. It is a cluster of duplexes up near the hospital. At present, the families at Avery Hill pay for electricity separately from their rent. After we install the solar system, we will be able to include electricity in the monthly rent at Avery Hill. On average, this will save each family about $650 per year. Roof repairs are now underway at Avery Hill and the solar panels will be installed in the fall. We are extremely grateful to the Thomas W. Haas Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation for a second grant to install the system at Avery Hill. We used this grant to leverage funding from the state’s Renewable Energy Fund – Grants for Community Solar program and a low-interest loan from NH Community Development Finance Authority’s Clean Energy Fund Ribbon Cutting On June 26th, we cut the ribbon on our latest healthy housing project, Gilford Village Knolls III. GVKIII provides 24 affordable apartments for seniors in the heart of Gilford Village. Residents are scheduled to move in this week. GVKIII is the third phase of the Gilford Village Knolls campus, which was the vision of a local citizens group that formed in the 1980s to develop affordable housing for seniors in Gilford. Tony Ferruolo, Chair of the Gilford Village Knolls Trustees, was on hand to welcome the crowd of 70 at the ribbon cutting. He noted that the Trustees started working on GVKIII in 2007 when the land first became available. After encountering difficulties in assembling the financing required for construction, the Trustees turned to Lakes Region Community Developers who had many years of experience using the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, which is ultimately where 70% of the funding for GVKIII came from. Jason Hicks, Chair of the Board for Lakes Region Community Developers, noted that the organization has evolved over its 25 year history. “In addition to responding to changing demographics, we are responding to the need for resilient buildings. GVKIII represents the pinnacle of our efforts; it is the first multi-family property in the State of New Hampshire to be constructed to the Passive House building standard.” Special thanks were given to Stewart Associates Architects during the event. Stewart Associates had already designed the building before Community Developers became involved. When they decided to pursue Passive House standards with the blessing of the GVK Trustees, Stewart Associates quickly got up to speed on Passive House and modified the building design. Other members of the development team for GVK III include DEAP Energy Group; Steven J. Smith & Associates; Martini Northern; GDS Associates; Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green; and Stewart Property Management. GVK III was financed by Northern New England Housing Investment Fund, New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, NeighborWorks America, and Rural LISC. Meet Corey Hoyt, New Board Member Corey has been in the higher education marketing field since 2010 and currently serves as Assistant Director of Marketing, Communications & Creative Services at Plymouth State University. Before joining PSU, he worked for an educational technology company, 2U, as a brand manager for online graduate programs, and in marketing and recruitment for Georgetown’s graduate business and law programs. A graduate of Laconia High School, Corey moved away for college, graduate school, and to begin his marketing career before ‘boomeranging’ back to the Lakes Region to purchase his first home in downtown Laconia. Passionate about higher education, Corey is an adjunct instructor of marketing at Lakes Region Community College. He earned his bachelor’s in marketing from Johnson & Wales University; a master’s in Communication, Culture & Technology from Georgetown University; and is currently pursuing an MBA from the University of New Hampshire. Corey had this to say about joining the board: "Safe, affordable housing for young families, individuals, and seniors is a critical need in our region and the state. Lakes Region Community Developers is making strides with a strong, active staff in addition to responsible, hardworking tenants that represent a large portion of the workforce and community. These were qualities that drew me to LRCD; an organization with a demonstrated impact in the region that sets the standard for outcomes supporting families across the state. I’m proud to join and support the cause." DipJar at Watermark Marine Supply Its on the move again! Find our DipJar at Watermark Marine Supply for the month of July. You can get everything you need for your day on the lake and do your good deed for the day! Building Community at River's Edge Tim Hindman from Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Blind and Visually Impaired came to visit the residents of River’s Edge for their weekly coffee hour on June 19th. Tim shared information about different eye diagnoses and what they mean, how to communicate with your eye doctor, and what equipment is available to help make life with a visual impairment easier. Residents were surprised to learn that your vision starts to change and decline at age 40! If you’d like to connect with Tim for visually impaired services, contact your Resident Services Coordinator, Kerri Lowe at 524-0747 ext. 103. Building Community at Lochmere Families at Lochmere Meadows got a special visit from Tricia Tousignant from the Family Resource Center of the Lakes Region for Happy Sounds, a music and movement playgroup. Children, parents and grandparents had a magical time singing, dancing and being just plain silly! If you are interested in playgroups, parent education and other social opportunities for you and your family, contact Tricia at tricia.tousignant@lrcs.org or 528-0391. Give the Gift of Family Fun Don’t forget to register your foursome for our 3rd Annual Putt Putt Tournament on Saturday, September 29th from 10AM to 2PM at Pirate’s Cove Winnisquam. If you can’t make the tournament, you can still support this critical LRCD fundraiser by sponsoring a team for one of our tenant families. For some families, a day of mini-golf and lunch out is just too expensive. Your $100 sponsorship makes it possible for one of our families to enjoy a fun day out together, which is important for family bonding. Click the orange button below to sponsor a team. Thank you! Green Tip - Cloth Napkins As a NeighborWorks America Green Designated Organization we have incorporated green practices across all lines of business. As an organization it is important to us that we remain steadfast stewards of our precious resources and inspire our neighbors to see the value and ease of incorporating green practices into their lives. We hope you enjoy our monthly Green Tip. Cloth napkins are more durable (one cloth napkin will make it through a lot more BBQ sauce than a paper one!) but ditching disposable napkins will also save plenty of money over the years. It’ll also reduce your trash output, which means less energy is used transporting and processing your waste. Using recyclable paper napkins is good for the planet, but it’s even better to not have anything to recycle in the first place. Plus, cloth napkins make dinner feel oh-so-fancy.
Click the links below for additional information: Lakes Region Community Developers cut the ribbon on its latest healthy housing project, Gilford Village Knolls III (GVKIII), which provides 24 affordable apartments for seniors in the heart of Gilford Village. Residents are scheduled to move in next month. Stewart Property Management is currently accepting names for the waiting list.
GVKIII is the third phase of the Gilford Village Knolls campus, which was the vision of a local citizens group that formed in the 1980s to develop affordable housing for seniors in Gilford. Tony Ferruolo, Chair of the Gilford Village Knolls Trustees, was on hand to welcome the crowd of 70 at the ribbon cutting on June 26. He noted that the Trustees started working on GVKIII in 2007 when the land first became available. After encountering difficulties in assembling the financing required for construction, the Trustees turned to Lakes Region Community Developers who had many years of experience using the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, which is ultimately where 70% of the funding for GVKIII came from. Jason Hicks, Chair of the Board for Lakes Region Community Developers, noted that the organization has evolved over its 25 year history. “In addition to responding to changing demographics, we are responding to the need for resilient buildings. GVKIII represents the pinnacle of our efforts; it is the first multi-family property in the State of New Hampshire to be constructed to the Passive House building standard.” Special thanks were given to Stewart Associates Architects during the event. Stewart Associates had already designed the building before Community Developers became involved. When they decided to pursue Passive House standards with the blessing of the GVK Trustees, Stewart Associates quickly got up to speed on Passive House and modified the building design. Other members of the development team for GVK III include DEAP Energy Group; Steven J. Smith & Associates; Martini Northern; GDS Associates; Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green; and Stewart Property Management. GVK III was financed by Northern New England Housing Investment Fund, New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, NeighborWorks America, and Rural LISC. For questions regarding GVK III’s waiting list please contact Julie Moore at Stewart Property Management at 603.524.6673 or via email at jmoore@stewartproperty.net Lakes Region Community Developers is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create opportunities for the Lakes Region to thrive by building healthy homes, creating vibrant community assets, and engaging residents. Lakes Region Community Developers began in 1993 with a mission to create opportunities for the Lakes Region to thrive by developing healthy homes, creating vibrant community assets, and engaging residents. For the past 25 years, we have worked towards that mission by developing high-quality, affordable rental housing throughout the Lakes Region.
On Saturday June 9th, in honor of NeighborWorks Week, LR Community Developers hosted a block party at River’s Edge Apartments in Laconia NH. More than 60 residents from the various 341 LR Community Developers affordable apartments joined in the celebration enjoying music, food and games. The block party welcomed nine local service providers to join the fun and provide information and awareness about the services they offer to local residents. The following organizations joined and hosted various games for resident participation; Navigating Recovery, Laconia Police Department, Belknap County Conservation District, Belknap-Merrimack Head Start, Lakes Region Partnership for Public Health, Stand Up Laconia, Lakes Region Child Care Services, Healthy Families America, and Family Resource Center of the Lakes Region. Residents played ring toss, got their faces painted and could even blend their own smoothies using the blender bike rented from Global Awareness Local Action. Each June, NeighborWorks America and its network of local organizations (like LR Community Developers) mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers, businesspeople, neighbors, friends, and local and national elected and civic leaders in a week of neighborhood change and awareness. If you would like to continue the support, look for the LR Community Developers DIPJAR as it travels around the Lakes Region during 2018 or donate at www.lrcommunitydevelopers.org. Changing Lives Award We presented Leo Sanfacon with the “Changing Lives” Award at our 25th anniversary celebration on April 12th in recognition of the positive impact that he has made on the lives of thousands of children and families in the Lakes Region. The “Changing Lives” award recognizes someone whose contributions to the Lakes Region community reflect the mission and values of our organization. We created the award last year to honor the tireless efforts of our founding executive director, Linda Harvey, to ensure that everyone in our community has the opportunity to be successful. Linda was on hand to present the award to Leo. She read off a long list of the organizations that he has been involved with over more than 20 years, including Lakes Region Community Developers, the Youth Services Bureau and Teen Court program; the Belknap Juvenile Justice Initiative and Restorative Justice program where he served as a jurist, mentor and advisory leader; CASA; the Belknap County Teen Center which ultimately became the Boys & Girls Club; the Gilford Youth Center; the Gilford Library; St. Vincent De Paul’s financial counseling program; and Leadership Lakes Region. When Linda presented Leo with the award, she recounted how his passion for kids and families was heightened during his participation in the first class of Leadership Lakes Region in 1998, of which they were both graduates. Linda said, “Leo has had an amazing impact by quietly and remarkably stepping up to make sure that our community provides opportunities for every family to thrive.” Thank you, Leo, for all you have done for this community. We are forever grateful. Anniversary Celebration Thank you to everyone who joined us on April 12th to celebrate 25 years of building healthy homes in the Lakes Region! 2017 Impact Report
DipJar Moves for Earth Month Show your support by DIPPING for $1 as the DIPJAR travels around the Lakes Region during 2018. In April, the is at DIPJAR Sunflower Natural Foods, 390 South Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246. “Here at Sunflower Natural Foods we are dedicated to supporting local businesses and being a source of health and wellness to our community. By supporting our community we not only help our neighbors economically, we help build the community as a whole. We are thrilled to host the LRCD DipJar for Earth Month and help raise awareness about what LRCD does for our community and neighbors.” - Store Manager, Pamela Tarr Thank you in advance for your support of providing our community with Healthy Homes; Healthy homes are the foundation of a healthy community. #DIPJARforLRCD. Save the Date Gilford Village Knolls III is 75% complete and we can't wait to show it to you! Please mark your calendar for the Ribbon Cutting and Open House on Tuesday, June 26th from 11:30 to 1:00. For questions regarding GVK III’s waiting list please contact Julia Moore at Stewart Property Management at 603.524.6673 or via email at jmoore@stewartproperty.net HOMEteam News - Homebuyer Seminar Manchester Do you or someone you know want to learn more about buying your home or are not sure where to start? HOMEteam's next First Time Homebuyer seminar will be on Saturday, May 19th 21st from 8:30am to 4:30pm in Manchester, NH. This program reviews the Steps to Home Ownership and gives you the tools and resources needed to make good financial decisions at every stage of the home buying process. Use Coupon Code LRCD2018 for $40 off the registrations fee! To register click here. Green Tip - Earth Month As a NeighborWorks America Green Designated Organization we have incorporated green practices across all lines of business. As an organization it is important to us that we remain steadfast stewards of our precious resources and inspire our neighbors to see the value and ease of incorporating green practices into their lives. We hope you enjoy our monthly Green Tip. This April 22nd marks the 48th annual Earth Day celebration! Making changes towards sustainability can feel daunting at times, however, small drops really do make a mighty ocean.
So for today, and every day, here a few easy changes you can make for this lovely planet we call home.
Parting Words from Eliza Phinney It is with a heavy heart that I announce I will be leaving my position as Resident Services Coordinator at Lakes Region Community Developers in early April. I would like to take this opportunity to reflect and express how grateful I am to everyone I’ve met during my time in the Lakes Region. It would take days for me to list all of the incredible things I’ve had the great fortune of experiencing, but nothing has given me a greater sense of purpose than handing over apartment keys to previously homeless families and witnessing the constant growth and leadership within each community. Seeing Pinecrest residents bond in their new gardens, and the smile on a child’s face who just plucked a carrot from the ground for the first time are memories I will cherish forever. I would also like to send a huge thank you to the awesome LRCD team, I feel so lucky to have had such supportive coworkers who were always willing to lend a hand, or provide some wisdom and guidance whenever I needed them. I wouldn’t have lasted one month if it weren’t for their constant support and aptitude for problem solving. As they say- it takes a village, and I look forward to continuing to build communities in my next adventure. LRCD Welcomes Kerri Lowe We are excited to welcome Kerri Lowe back to LRCD as our new Resident Services Coordinator starting in April. Kerri previously served in this role in 2015. She is excited to return to LRCD with our new focus on community building and engagement. Kerri earned her degree in Human Services while raising her five children, who are now all young adults. Kerri’s background has been working with families in the Lakes Region and surrounding areas since 1998 with the Community Action Program, Lakes Region Community Services, the Family Resource Center of the Lakes Region, and Partnership for Public Health. She has extensive experience in empowering families to reach their goals by connecting them to community resources and opportunities. Housing in the News Affordable housing has been a hot topic in NH news outlets the last few weeks. In case you missed some of the coverage, here are links so you can get caught up. New Hampshire Senate OKs real estate transfer tax cut for first-time buyers Lorentz: Real estate transfer tax break falls short of its goal What Kind of Housing Does N.H. Need, and Why Don't We Have Enough Of It? DipJar at Prescott's Florist in March As part of our 25th Anniversary, we are partnering with a different local business in the Lakes Region every month during 2018 to host our DipJar. The DipJar accepts $1 credit card donations to support LRCD’s work developing healthy homes. We build healthy homes so that all families can live in safe, stable environments. Healthy homes help kids do well in school, which ensures parents can succeed at work. Healthy homes make our businesses and communities thrive. During the month of March, you will find our DipJar at Prescott’s Florist, 23 Veterans Square, Laconia. Thank you for your support! Building Community at Pinecrest Winter Carnival for our Pinecrest Apartments in Meredith was a lot of fun. Residents of all ages participated in a number of games, won prizes, and got better acquainted. We work with Pinecrest residents to organize quarterly social events as part of our community building and engagement program. Providing opportunities for families to socialize helps parents support each other and discuss family issues. This strengthens the adult relationships that parents need to be successful. Gilford Village Knolls III Update GVK III is currently under construction and scheduled for completion in June 2018. Installation of insulation, drywall, and doorway framing is currently underway. The construction crews are also busy installing framing for the photovoltaic panels on the roof. For questions regarding GVK III’s waiting list please contact Julia Moore at Stewart Property Management. She can be reached at 603.524.6673 or via email at jmoore@stewartproperty.net HOMEteam News Do you or someone you know want to learn more about buying your home or are not sure where to start, it's this Home Buyer Seminar. HOMEteam's First Time Homebuyer seminar will be on Saturday, April 21st from 8:30am to 4:30pm at Lakes Region Community Services on 719 North Main Street, Laconia. This program reviews the Steps to Home Ownership and gives you the tools and resources needed to make good financial decisions at every stage of the home buying process. The Steps to Home Ownership:
To register click here. Green Tip - Spring Cleaning
Being green this month is not just for St. Patrick's Day. As warmer weather approaches (it's coming we promise!) think about greening your spring cleaning.
Do you make lists and goals to get your windows cleaned, baseboards washed and ceiling fans dusted? Spring cleaning is a fresh start to entering a season of balmy, breezy days. This is the time to rid our homes of the allergens and toxins that have accumulated over the winter—not put them back in with commercial cleaning products. Click here for how to make your own cleaning products from all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, wood floor cleaning and much more! |