Affordable housing is about everyone in our community being able to afford a home that supports good physical, financial, and emotional well-being. This occasional series produced by Lakes Region Community Developers, Lakes Region Community Services, and Laconia Housing features stories of people who live in affordable housing in the Lakes Region to demonstrate the diversity of people who thrive in affordable housing and how it enriches our communities.
Victoria
Victoria and her partner Joe moved to Ashland, NH from Rhode Island in 2018 to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter. The retired couple immediately fell in love with the small town. Rhode Island to them felt crowded. Moving here was like a breath of fresh air.
When they first moved, they lived in an apartment on Main Street and loved the location. What they didn’t love, though, was the rent. Vicki says, “we were paying a ridiculous amount of rent for a one bedroom.” They were also located on the second floor, which was not ideal for the aging couple. When COVID hit, although they always paid their rent on time, they weren’t feeling supported by their landlord.
So they got their name on the list for Lakes Region Community Developers’ (LRCD) Ames Brook apartments in Ashland, and were thrilled when they got the call that an apartment had become available. “We looked at it and it was like ‘oh my God’ this was beautiful,” says Vicki. It was a first floor apartment with direct walk-out access to the outdoors behind their building, which is secluded and quiet.
Vicki and Joe became the proud new tenants of that apartment at Ames Brook in 2020, and they haven’t looked back since. In fact, their daughter and granddaughter have since moved back to Rhode Island, but Vicki and Joe are staying put. Vicki shares, “We love, love, love it here! We’re not going anywhere.”
Being retired and on a fixed monthly income, they appreciate the affordable rent, which in Vicki’s words, “Makes you feel not rich, but not so poor.” The self-proclaimed “big kid” also loves the community atmosphere that Ames Brook offers.
Vicki and her neighbors do a lot to put on fun activities for the children who live at Ames Brook Apartments, such as a Trunk or Treat at Halloween, Christmas parties, and an Easter celebration. They are planning to do hot chocolate and s’mores this winter. In summer of 2022, Vicki started a tradition of kid-friendly movie nights out on the green, which she compared to going to the drive-in. The kids would bring their blankets and pillows to watch the movie, and Vicki would give them hot chocolate, balloons, candy, or popcorn. “It’s just so fun,” says Vicki.
Vicki and her neighbors worked together to establish a 10-bed community garden in 2022, and she continues to collaborate with her neighbors to keep the garden running smoothly. She was proud to share that this past summer all the garden beds were full.
Ames Brook had its own Girl Scout Troop a couple of years ago, but it fizzled out when some of the participants moved away. Vicki has stepped up to be trained as a troop leader by the Girl Scouts of the Green & White Mountains in the hopes that the troop can be re-established to benefit the girls who now live at Ames Brook.
To add to Vicki’s leadership and community contributions, she recently became the newest member of the LRCD Board of Directors as a tenant representative. LRCD is a mission-driven landlord that provides programs to strengthen the health and well-being of their tenants. Vicki looks forward to contributing to LRCD’s mission and getting to know other community leaders.
Vicki knows first-hand the impact of the supports that LRCD offers to its tenants. She is proud to share her beautiful new smile after participating in LRCD’s Dental Program, which offers matching payments to dental providers to help tenants afford the dental care they need. Vicki was experiencing pain, shifting, and loosening teeth with her partial dentures, which led to the loss of more of her teeth. With the help of LRCD’s program, Vicki was able to afford a full set of top dentures. “LRCD matched me, and without that, I wouldn’t have been able to do it,” she says. “I love it because I feel like I can smile again.”
Vicki participated in a class at her apartment complex this summer called “Nutrition Connections” where residents gathered in the garden and learned about healthy eating. She also took part in programs offered by Granite VNA and ServiceLink at her apartment complex.
When asked what it means to have a place like Ames Brook Apartments, Vicki shares, “It’s life-saving. It’s a relief, because we don’t have to worry about whether we can buy good food, or afford to get our car fixed.”
Vicki wants people to know that affordable housing communities like Ames Brook benefit many different types of people. Among her neighbors are seniors, people working in service sector jobs, single mothers with children, and people with a disability. “We all really need this place. And because I live here, I have some money left over so I can buy things at local businesses. And I feel like I can contribute to my community.”
When they first moved, they lived in an apartment on Main Street and loved the location. What they didn’t love, though, was the rent. Vicki says, “we were paying a ridiculous amount of rent for a one bedroom.” They were also located on the second floor, which was not ideal for the aging couple. When COVID hit, although they always paid their rent on time, they weren’t feeling supported by their landlord.
So they got their name on the list for Lakes Region Community Developers’ (LRCD) Ames Brook apartments in Ashland, and were thrilled when they got the call that an apartment had become available. “We looked at it and it was like ‘oh my God’ this was beautiful,” says Vicki. It was a first floor apartment with direct walk-out access to the outdoors behind their building, which is secluded and quiet.
Vicki and Joe became the proud new tenants of that apartment at Ames Brook in 2020, and they haven’t looked back since. In fact, their daughter and granddaughter have since moved back to Rhode Island, but Vicki and Joe are staying put. Vicki shares, “We love, love, love it here! We’re not going anywhere.”
Being retired and on a fixed monthly income, they appreciate the affordable rent, which in Vicki’s words, “Makes you feel not rich, but not so poor.” The self-proclaimed “big kid” also loves the community atmosphere that Ames Brook offers.
Vicki and her neighbors do a lot to put on fun activities for the children who live at Ames Brook Apartments, such as a Trunk or Treat at Halloween, Christmas parties, and an Easter celebration. They are planning to do hot chocolate and s’mores this winter. In summer of 2022, Vicki started a tradition of kid-friendly movie nights out on the green, which she compared to going to the drive-in. The kids would bring their blankets and pillows to watch the movie, and Vicki would give them hot chocolate, balloons, candy, or popcorn. “It’s just so fun,” says Vicki.
Vicki and her neighbors worked together to establish a 10-bed community garden in 2022, and she continues to collaborate with her neighbors to keep the garden running smoothly. She was proud to share that this past summer all the garden beds were full.
Ames Brook had its own Girl Scout Troop a couple of years ago, but it fizzled out when some of the participants moved away. Vicki has stepped up to be trained as a troop leader by the Girl Scouts of the Green & White Mountains in the hopes that the troop can be re-established to benefit the girls who now live at Ames Brook.
To add to Vicki’s leadership and community contributions, she recently became the newest member of the LRCD Board of Directors as a tenant representative. LRCD is a mission-driven landlord that provides programs to strengthen the health and well-being of their tenants. Vicki looks forward to contributing to LRCD’s mission and getting to know other community leaders.
Vicki knows first-hand the impact of the supports that LRCD offers to its tenants. She is proud to share her beautiful new smile after participating in LRCD’s Dental Program, which offers matching payments to dental providers to help tenants afford the dental care they need. Vicki was experiencing pain, shifting, and loosening teeth with her partial dentures, which led to the loss of more of her teeth. With the help of LRCD’s program, Vicki was able to afford a full set of top dentures. “LRCD matched me, and without that, I wouldn’t have been able to do it,” she says. “I love it because I feel like I can smile again.”
Vicki participated in a class at her apartment complex this summer called “Nutrition Connections” where residents gathered in the garden and learned about healthy eating. She also took part in programs offered by Granite VNA and ServiceLink at her apartment complex.
When asked what it means to have a place like Ames Brook Apartments, Vicki shares, “It’s life-saving. It’s a relief, because we don’t have to worry about whether we can buy good food, or afford to get our car fixed.”
Vicki wants people to know that affordable housing communities like Ames Brook benefit many different types of people. Among her neighbors are seniors, people working in service sector jobs, single mothers with children, and people with a disability. “We all really need this place. And because I live here, I have some money left over so I can buy things at local businesses. And I feel like I can contribute to my community.”
Patty
Patty Nichols is lovingly called “the matriarch” by her friends at Pinecrest Apartments in Meredith, an affordable housing apartment complex developed by Lakes Region Community Developers. According to Patty though, “we all just look out for each other.”
For Patty, finding a home at Pinecrest Apartments in 2009 meant safety. Before Pinecrest, Patty had spent 13 years in what she describes as an abusive marriage while working two full-time jobs to support her children. When her marriage ended, she moved in with her sister before getting her own apartment. After a work injury took Patty out of commission, her apartment was no longer affordable. That
led her to Pinecrest, where she is one of the original tenants who moved in right after it opened. She lives there with her granddaughter, who she’s raised since birth, and who turns 16 this year.
Patty spent 30 years working in the health insurance industry before having to retire early and take disability due to health issues. Her life changed a lot after that, but despite the health challenges, Patty has built a good life at Pinecrest. She enjoys playing a leadership role in the community garden on her side of the complex. The garden provides healthy produce for six of her neighbors. She says, “I like doing it, and every year I add more to it. This year I have cantaloupe growing and radish.”
Patty really lights up when she talks about the friends she has made at Pinecrest. She loves getting together with her neighbors for cookouts, planting the gardens, and hanging outside chatting for what they like to call their “meetings.” “We’re there for each other. We keep our neighborhood safe,” says Patty. She frequently plays a leadership role in organizing community-wide events at Pinecrest, such as last year’s summer BBQ and fall festival.
Patty shared a compelling note about her former neighbor and close friend, Deb, who lived at Pinecrest but has passed away. She reflects, “she taught me how to come out of my shell. She taught me how to talk to people face to face. You spend 30 years behind a phone and working two jobs by yourself all the time, you kind of forget how to be with people. She helped me with all of that.” In Deb’s final days, Patty sat beside her holding her hand.
Patty is a proud mother to two sons who have retired from the military. Her oldest served eight deployments in Afghanistan, while her youngest served in the guard for 14 and a half years before being medically retired after a bad accident while on duty. His daughter lives with Patty, and she beams with pride when talking about her granddaughter. “She’s an amazing young girl,” says Patty. “I get nothing but compliments about her. She’s very smart and hopes to become a pediatric orthopedic oncologist.” Patty feels that her granddaughter has been happy at Pinecrest, where she too has made good friends and experienced a home that Patty says has “always been her constant. Always been her steady.”
Patty appreciates her mission-driven landlord, Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD), which provides resident services and modest financial supports to help their tenants thrive. She says, “I love the way that LRCD is always going forward looking for new and inventive ways to make life livable and affordable for those of us who need it.”
One example is LRCD’s dental program, which is helping Patty get a new smile. In 2018, LRCD learned through a survey of all their tenants that 70% of them did not have dental insurance and most were not accessing dental care on a regular basis. LRCD raised funds to provide matching payments to dentists so tenants can afford the care they need.
Patty, whose teeth never came in right as a child, shares, “by the time my birthday rolls around in July, I will actually, for the first time in my entire life, have a smile I will be proud of. And LRCD is helping to make that happen for me.”
Patty has found support and community at Pinecrest and LRCD. She now gives back by sitting on LRCD’s Board of Directors where she serves as a voice for tenants.
Patty doesn’t understand why people often don’t support the development of more affordable housing. She believes it’s something everyone needs to have, noting it's especially important for those who need to get out of an abusive relationship and need a safe place where they can live on one income. In addition, she says finding affordable housing is a challenge for veterans who are just coming out of the military.
Patty concludes, “I think that Pinecrest, and places like Pinecrest, are truly a godsend. I’m living my best life right now, and I owe that to Lakes Region Community Developers. I’m raising a child on disability and we don’t worry about a roof over our head or food.”
For Patty, finding a home at Pinecrest Apartments in 2009 meant safety. Before Pinecrest, Patty had spent 13 years in what she describes as an abusive marriage while working two full-time jobs to support her children. When her marriage ended, she moved in with her sister before getting her own apartment. After a work injury took Patty out of commission, her apartment was no longer affordable. That
led her to Pinecrest, where she is one of the original tenants who moved in right after it opened. She lives there with her granddaughter, who she’s raised since birth, and who turns 16 this year.
Patty spent 30 years working in the health insurance industry before having to retire early and take disability due to health issues. Her life changed a lot after that, but despite the health challenges, Patty has built a good life at Pinecrest. She enjoys playing a leadership role in the community garden on her side of the complex. The garden provides healthy produce for six of her neighbors. She says, “I like doing it, and every year I add more to it. This year I have cantaloupe growing and radish.”
Patty really lights up when she talks about the friends she has made at Pinecrest. She loves getting together with her neighbors for cookouts, planting the gardens, and hanging outside chatting for what they like to call their “meetings.” “We’re there for each other. We keep our neighborhood safe,” says Patty. She frequently plays a leadership role in organizing community-wide events at Pinecrest, such as last year’s summer BBQ and fall festival.
Patty shared a compelling note about her former neighbor and close friend, Deb, who lived at Pinecrest but has passed away. She reflects, “she taught me how to come out of my shell. She taught me how to talk to people face to face. You spend 30 years behind a phone and working two jobs by yourself all the time, you kind of forget how to be with people. She helped me with all of that.” In Deb’s final days, Patty sat beside her holding her hand.
Patty is a proud mother to two sons who have retired from the military. Her oldest served eight deployments in Afghanistan, while her youngest served in the guard for 14 and a half years before being medically retired after a bad accident while on duty. His daughter lives with Patty, and she beams with pride when talking about her granddaughter. “She’s an amazing young girl,” says Patty. “I get nothing but compliments about her. She’s very smart and hopes to become a pediatric orthopedic oncologist.” Patty feels that her granddaughter has been happy at Pinecrest, where she too has made good friends and experienced a home that Patty says has “always been her constant. Always been her steady.”
Patty appreciates her mission-driven landlord, Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD), which provides resident services and modest financial supports to help their tenants thrive. She says, “I love the way that LRCD is always going forward looking for new and inventive ways to make life livable and affordable for those of us who need it.”
One example is LRCD’s dental program, which is helping Patty get a new smile. In 2018, LRCD learned through a survey of all their tenants that 70% of them did not have dental insurance and most were not accessing dental care on a regular basis. LRCD raised funds to provide matching payments to dentists so tenants can afford the care they need.
Patty, whose teeth never came in right as a child, shares, “by the time my birthday rolls around in July, I will actually, for the first time in my entire life, have a smile I will be proud of. And LRCD is helping to make that happen for me.”
Patty has found support and community at Pinecrest and LRCD. She now gives back by sitting on LRCD’s Board of Directors where she serves as a voice for tenants.
Patty doesn’t understand why people often don’t support the development of more affordable housing. She believes it’s something everyone needs to have, noting it's especially important for those who need to get out of an abusive relationship and need a safe place where they can live on one income. In addition, she says finding affordable housing is a challenge for veterans who are just coming out of the military.
Patty concludes, “I think that Pinecrest, and places like Pinecrest, are truly a godsend. I’m living my best life right now, and I owe that to Lakes Region Community Developers. I’m raising a child on disability and we don’t worry about a roof over our head or food.”
Kylie
Kylie Goss is a tenant at Lochmere Meadows, an affordable housing complex in Tilton developed by Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD). Kylie grew up in the Lakes Region and has been here her entire life, except for one year she spent living in Florida.
When Kylie was younger, she struggled with substance use disorder. She is proud that she has been in recovery for eight years now. She explains, “what got me out of it was finding out I was going to have a child. I tried a couple times to get sober, but nothing worked until I found out I was pregnant.” She was living in Florida at the time.
As soon as she learned a baby was on the way, Kylie packed up and headed back home to the Lakes Region to be closer to family. Three years later, she and her boyfriend had another child. Though she was in long-term recovery, things were not going well. She had been in an unhealthy relationship for many years. In 2018, she realized she needed to make a change. “So I moved in with my parents,” she said.
Kylie lived with her parents for nine months before she was able to get her own apartment at Lochmere Meadows in 2019. It was a welcome change. Although her parents were supportive, Kylie found it difficult to be back under her parents’ roof.
Now Kylie is thriving on her own. She has two beautiful kids, continues to maintain her sobriety, and works full time at a job in construction where she enjoys building houses. The company that she works for has become family to her. She is thankful to have support like that around her, including the support she gets from living at Lochmere Meadows.
“It gives us a place to call home,” says Kylie. “It has made it easier knowing that I have a place to live and if I ever did lose my job, I wouldn't be evicted because my rent is based off my income. It made life easier knowing that I have this place.”
She also appreciates what she gets for the rent that she pays at Lochmere Meadows. “It’s a nice apartment,” Kylie says of her two-bedroom, townhouse style apartment. “And my neighbors are awesome. It's nice to have the space and community for me and my kids.”
Kylie enjoys giving back by serving as a tenant representative on LRCD’s Board of Directors. She likes learning about LRCD’s new projects and all the work that goes into developing affordable housing. Kylie comments, “there’s a lot of families they help, so it’s awesome to be a part of that.”
Kylie reflected how the cost of regular rentals these days is so high, and it doesn’t make sense to her that when LRCD tries to put up new, affordable communities, some people get upset. “It’s hard to change the stigma about affordable housing,” Kylie says. “But it has gotten me through some of the hardest times of my life and given us a roof over our head and a safe place to call home. So, without that, I don't really know where we'd be.”
The Kylie of today is a lot different from the Kylie of 2019 who first moved in to Lochmere Meadows. “I was in a bad place. And I've come out of my shell so much,” says Kylie. “A few years ago, I didn't even want to get a job because I had so much PTSD from my relationship. I was just in a bad place mentally. It's funny to see how much has changed.”
Today Kylie has her sights set on some goals for her future. Already she has advanced at her construction job. She started in demolition and has since learned the skills and proven herself to be an asset on the team building the houses. The sky’s the limit from there.
She also plans to move on from Lochmere Meadows at some point in the near future because she wants to give someone else the opportunity for it to help them. She says, “I feel like it’s definitely been a big part of me being able to move up in the world. It's nice knowing that there are people out there that are willing to help families in need.”
When Kylie was younger, she struggled with substance use disorder. She is proud that she has been in recovery for eight years now. She explains, “what got me out of it was finding out I was going to have a child. I tried a couple times to get sober, but nothing worked until I found out I was pregnant.” She was living in Florida at the time.
As soon as she learned a baby was on the way, Kylie packed up and headed back home to the Lakes Region to be closer to family. Three years later, she and her boyfriend had another child. Though she was in long-term recovery, things were not going well. She had been in an unhealthy relationship for many years. In 2018, she realized she needed to make a change. “So I moved in with my parents,” she said.
Kylie lived with her parents for nine months before she was able to get her own apartment at Lochmere Meadows in 2019. It was a welcome change. Although her parents were supportive, Kylie found it difficult to be back under her parents’ roof.
Now Kylie is thriving on her own. She has two beautiful kids, continues to maintain her sobriety, and works full time at a job in construction where she enjoys building houses. The company that she works for has become family to her. She is thankful to have support like that around her, including the support she gets from living at Lochmere Meadows.
“It gives us a place to call home,” says Kylie. “It has made it easier knowing that I have a place to live and if I ever did lose my job, I wouldn't be evicted because my rent is based off my income. It made life easier knowing that I have this place.”
She also appreciates what she gets for the rent that she pays at Lochmere Meadows. “It’s a nice apartment,” Kylie says of her two-bedroom, townhouse style apartment. “And my neighbors are awesome. It's nice to have the space and community for me and my kids.”
Kylie enjoys giving back by serving as a tenant representative on LRCD’s Board of Directors. She likes learning about LRCD’s new projects and all the work that goes into developing affordable housing. Kylie comments, “there’s a lot of families they help, so it’s awesome to be a part of that.”
Kylie reflected how the cost of regular rentals these days is so high, and it doesn’t make sense to her that when LRCD tries to put up new, affordable communities, some people get upset. “It’s hard to change the stigma about affordable housing,” Kylie says. “But it has gotten me through some of the hardest times of my life and given us a roof over our head and a safe place to call home. So, without that, I don't really know where we'd be.”
The Kylie of today is a lot different from the Kylie of 2019 who first moved in to Lochmere Meadows. “I was in a bad place. And I've come out of my shell so much,” says Kylie. “A few years ago, I didn't even want to get a job because I had so much PTSD from my relationship. I was just in a bad place mentally. It's funny to see how much has changed.”
Today Kylie has her sights set on some goals for her future. Already she has advanced at her construction job. She started in demolition and has since learned the skills and proven herself to be an asset on the team building the houses. The sky’s the limit from there.
She also plans to move on from Lochmere Meadows at some point in the near future because she wants to give someone else the opportunity for it to help them. She says, “I feel like it’s definitely been a big part of me being able to move up in the world. It's nice knowing that there are people out there that are willing to help families in need.”
Kathy
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Originally from Athens, New York, but from Colebrook at heart, Kathleen "Kathy" Cass is a resident at Laconia Housing’s Tavern Inn Apartments. After enduring difficult health and housing issues, Kathy has finally found a forever home where she gets all the care she needs while living independently and being close to loved ones.
Kathy’s story is one of strength and resilience. A single mother for a long time, Kathy dedicated 15 years of her life to working with the developmentally disabled population, inspired by her son, who lives with disability. During her time at work, she endured a severe back injury and, unfortunately, had to retire after her third back surgery. With the loss of her main income source and after the passing of her mother, Kathy moved in with her sister in Concord. What she thought would be the solution to her changing life was just the beginning of a series of challenges she would face. In August 2018, Kathy became sick with a serious illness. |
To make her condition bearable, she was put into a medically-induced coma lasting most of the time until her recovery in March 2019. Letting her strength and her will to overcome shine through, Kathy’s symptoms subsided, and her health improved. However, during the time Kathy was ill, she incurred many expenses and medical bills, which caused stress. Kathy’s daughter came to the rescue and moved in with her mother to help care for her and pick up some of the unpaid bills. The local visiting nurse association also aided Kathy with her rehabilitation.
Refusing to surrender to life’s twists and turns, Kathy began making calls daily to search for a place where she could win back her life and sent in many applications — with no luck — all while spending the days with her son and the nights with her daughter in her basement studio apartment. Kathy’s research for affordable housing put the wheels in motion for positive changes. In July 2022, Christina Shepard of NH Health Families called the director of nursing at Laconia Housing Home Health Agency, and the process of finding Kathy a home was initiated. Within six weeks, she was able to move into her own apartment at the Tavern Inn Apartments in Laconia and start a long-overdue, bright, new chapter.
“I am very happy to have found this place. I love my nurse, Cathy, who visits me weekly. I am close to my family, whom I can spend time with. I am grateful to live as independently as I can, having my health care needs met, without feeling that I am imposing on someone else’s house. I am so grateful for the entire staff at the home health agency,” Kathy said.
Kathy’s daughter, who had put everything on the back burner to help her mother, said, “It is such a relief that my mom is being taken care of. I am eternally grateful for the services she is receiving. I can be her daughter and she can be my mom. It is the greatest gift you could give to me. I can breathe again.” She can now enjoy spending quality time with Kathy without worrying about her mother’s health or how to make ends meet.
This family’s story had a happy ending and shows how affordable housing services can help individuals overcome hardships and return to living independently and with dignity, surrounded by a network of family and community support. For all who have similar stories to Kathy’s, or who have endured similar challenges, Laconia Home Health Agency, owned by Laconia Housing Authority, is a Medicaid-certified agency with the mission to allow a person to live in their home independently. The agency provides services to these individuals to assist them with daily living activities like showering, dressing, reminders to take scheduled medication, housekeeping and laundry. Without these services, or the ability to fulfill these tasks, seniors would be considered nursing home appropriate.
Moreover, individuals in the Choices for Independence program are eligible to reside in Laconia Housing Authority’s Sunrise Towers, Sunrise House and the Tavern Inn Apartments. They have an assigned registered nurse who manages their plan of care and maintains good communication with the person’s physician and case manager. The team of caregivers and managers surround the individual with these services and support their desire to remain independent in their home and community.
Refusing to surrender to life’s twists and turns, Kathy began making calls daily to search for a place where she could win back her life and sent in many applications — with no luck — all while spending the days with her son and the nights with her daughter in her basement studio apartment. Kathy’s research for affordable housing put the wheels in motion for positive changes. In July 2022, Christina Shepard of NH Health Families called the director of nursing at Laconia Housing Home Health Agency, and the process of finding Kathy a home was initiated. Within six weeks, she was able to move into her own apartment at the Tavern Inn Apartments in Laconia and start a long-overdue, bright, new chapter.
“I am very happy to have found this place. I love my nurse, Cathy, who visits me weekly. I am close to my family, whom I can spend time with. I am grateful to live as independently as I can, having my health care needs met, without feeling that I am imposing on someone else’s house. I am so grateful for the entire staff at the home health agency,” Kathy said.
Kathy’s daughter, who had put everything on the back burner to help her mother, said, “It is such a relief that my mom is being taken care of. I am eternally grateful for the services she is receiving. I can be her daughter and she can be my mom. It is the greatest gift you could give to me. I can breathe again.” She can now enjoy spending quality time with Kathy without worrying about her mother’s health or how to make ends meet.
This family’s story had a happy ending and shows how affordable housing services can help individuals overcome hardships and return to living independently and with dignity, surrounded by a network of family and community support. For all who have similar stories to Kathy’s, or who have endured similar challenges, Laconia Home Health Agency, owned by Laconia Housing Authority, is a Medicaid-certified agency with the mission to allow a person to live in their home independently. The agency provides services to these individuals to assist them with daily living activities like showering, dressing, reminders to take scheduled medication, housekeeping and laundry. Without these services, or the ability to fulfill these tasks, seniors would be considered nursing home appropriate.
Moreover, individuals in the Choices for Independence program are eligible to reside in Laconia Housing Authority’s Sunrise Towers, Sunrise House and the Tavern Inn Apartments. They have an assigned registered nurse who manages their plan of care and maintains good communication with the person’s physician and case manager. The team of caregivers and managers surround the individual with these services and support their desire to remain independent in their home and community.
Donka
Donka Facciolo was born in Bulgaria and adopted into a loving family from Sandwich at age 6. She grew up attending Sandwich Central School and later Inter-Lakes High School. If you are acquainted with the Lakes Region, chances are you are familiar with Donka. Friends know her as joyful, outgoing, a social butterfly, and the life of the party. And that’s how she loves to live her life — full of laughter, fun, and most importantly, with community connection.
Growing up, Donka’s parents taught her the importance of independence. She was born with arthrogryposis, a disorder that affects the stiffness in joints and involves muscle weakness throughout the body. In Donka’s case, arthrogryposis has rendered her non-ambulatory and requires the support of a wheelchair to be mobile.
After graduating high school in 2006, Donka knew that moving out of her family home was the next step to the life of independence she so desperately wanted.
She immediately sought help in making this dream a reality. Donka and her family turned to their assigned resource coordinator at Lakes Region Community Services for support. Through LRCS, Donka and her family receive case management to assist them in navigating benefits and resources and making well-informed choices at all stages of life. With the help of her resource coordinator, Donka has support in advocating for her needs and achieving her goals, no matter how big or small. And through the combined help from LRCS and her high school guidance counselor, Donka secured an affordable, wheelchair accessible apartment at Sunrise Towers, a development of Laconia Housing.
“Living on my own at Sunrise Towers gave me newfound freedom and a deeper sense of community. And I love being in the heart of Laconia. I have everything I need within a short distance, which is great because I would otherwise need to rely on wheelchair accessible taxi services to get me around town,” explained Donka.
At Sunrise Towers, Donka receives additional support that allows her to live with dignity and opportunity. While she prides herself on being independent, she realizes some situations and tasks are challenging for her physically and requires help to be successful. Through a program offered by Laconia Housing, she receives assistance with daily living activities such as housekeeping and laundry services, in addition to meal services twice a day.
Living independently and in a cost-effective community also provided Donka the confidence to accomplish other goals, one of which was to further her education. She attended classes at Lakes Region Community College and obtained certificates which advanced her knowledge in early childhood education. “Children are my passion. I volunteered at a daycare close to my family home when I was in high school and I loved it. I’ve always known this was the career path for me,” Donka said.
Working with children gave Donka a deeper sense of community. For 10 years she worked at an after-school program which helped children build social and emotional skills through enrichment activities. Through this career, Donka was able to make connections with the students she worked with and their families. She prides herself on enriching the lives of the next generation and teaching the importance of disability awareness and inclusion.
In an effort to continue to connect socially to her community, after leaving the after-school program, she went into retail and worked at a gift shop in downtown Laconia. “Interacting with the customers daily and meeting new people made work days so special,” noted Donka.
Donka credits her ability to live independently, seek employment in a career she is passionate about, and continue to stay involved in her community to affordable housing. “I want to give my time and resources back to the community that has done so much for me. I feel lucky to have the resources to be able to live and work in the community I love.”
Growing up, Donka’s parents taught her the importance of independence. She was born with arthrogryposis, a disorder that affects the stiffness in joints and involves muscle weakness throughout the body. In Donka’s case, arthrogryposis has rendered her non-ambulatory and requires the support of a wheelchair to be mobile.
After graduating high school in 2006, Donka knew that moving out of her family home was the next step to the life of independence she so desperately wanted.
She immediately sought help in making this dream a reality. Donka and her family turned to their assigned resource coordinator at Lakes Region Community Services for support. Through LRCS, Donka and her family receive case management to assist them in navigating benefits and resources and making well-informed choices at all stages of life. With the help of her resource coordinator, Donka has support in advocating for her needs and achieving her goals, no matter how big or small. And through the combined help from LRCS and her high school guidance counselor, Donka secured an affordable, wheelchair accessible apartment at Sunrise Towers, a development of Laconia Housing.
“Living on my own at Sunrise Towers gave me newfound freedom and a deeper sense of community. And I love being in the heart of Laconia. I have everything I need within a short distance, which is great because I would otherwise need to rely on wheelchair accessible taxi services to get me around town,” explained Donka.
At Sunrise Towers, Donka receives additional support that allows her to live with dignity and opportunity. While she prides herself on being independent, she realizes some situations and tasks are challenging for her physically and requires help to be successful. Through a program offered by Laconia Housing, she receives assistance with daily living activities such as housekeeping and laundry services, in addition to meal services twice a day.
Living independently and in a cost-effective community also provided Donka the confidence to accomplish other goals, one of which was to further her education. She attended classes at Lakes Region Community College and obtained certificates which advanced her knowledge in early childhood education. “Children are my passion. I volunteered at a daycare close to my family home when I was in high school and I loved it. I’ve always known this was the career path for me,” Donka said.
Working with children gave Donka a deeper sense of community. For 10 years she worked at an after-school program which helped children build social and emotional skills through enrichment activities. Through this career, Donka was able to make connections with the students she worked with and their families. She prides herself on enriching the lives of the next generation and teaching the importance of disability awareness and inclusion.
In an effort to continue to connect socially to her community, after leaving the after-school program, she went into retail and worked at a gift shop in downtown Laconia. “Interacting with the customers daily and meeting new people made work days so special,” noted Donka.
Donka credits her ability to live independently, seek employment in a career she is passionate about, and continue to stay involved in her community to affordable housing. “I want to give my time and resources back to the community that has done so much for me. I feel lucky to have the resources to be able to live and work in the community I love.”
Carrie
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Affordable housing is about everyone in our community being able to afford a home that supports good physical, financial, and emotional well-being. This occasional series produced by Lakes Region Community Developers & Lakes Region Community Services features stories of people who live in affordable housing in the Lakes Region. We share their life journeys, struggles, triumphs, and aspirations. We think you will find that their goals and dreams are not so different from your own.
Mother, college student, hard worker, community-driven, and advocate are just a few of the words one could use to describe Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) Resident and Board Member, Carrie Duran. The NH native and divorced/single mom of three girls, moved back to NH in 2013 after spending several years in Los Angeles where she had hopes of becoming a star, and later got married and started a family. |
While she may not be a star in Hollywood’s terms (she decided it wasn’t the right path for her), she is a star right here in her community. When her marriage ended, Carrie moved home to NH with her twin daughters (now 15 years old), and youngest daughter (now 10 years old) who has Down Syndrome, to be closer to her greatest support system, her family.
Carrie and her “girls”, as she likes to refer to them, are residents in LRCD’s Harriman Hill apartments in Wolfeboro. Since her return to NH, Carrie has not stopped. In addition to raising two busy teen daughters and one younger daughter with special developmental and medical needs, Carrie works part time remotely for Lakes Region Community Services (LRCS) as their Legislative Liaison. She is also a full time college student working towards a BA in Human Services, and serves on about ten committees, councils and boards, all of which are interconnected to support those with developmental disabilities. “I drink lots of coffee,” laughs Carrie.
In her work with LRCS, Carrie’s job is to sit in on hearings, testify, help families testify, and essentially educate legislators on how bills meant to help those with developmental disabilities may or may not be effective. Carrie says, “I love it. I get to do what I love.”
Interestingly, Carrie earned her job at LRCS thanks to all her volunteer experience where she has served passionately as an advocate for lower income families and those with developmental disabilities. She currently serves on the Wolfeboro Economic Development Committee and the Commission to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Expanded Medicaid.
Carrie was recognized for her work last year, when she was awarded the 2021 Virginia Bowden Award for Advocacy “for her steadfast commitment to advocacy, through her participation on various councils and committees aimed at improving the lives of those with disabilities in NH.” She also received a Health and Wellness Scholarship from New Futures for her advocacy for expanded Medicaid.
Carrie is passionate about her work and shares, “With testifying, especially testifying about Medicaid and the child tax credit, I try to dispel the unfortunate stereotypes out there about people of low income. Most are like me. They’re hard working, they may have a child with a disability, they’re participating in their communities, but they also need some extra support.”
Carrie credits some of that “extra support” to affordable housing such as what LRCD provides to her and her girls, as well as hundreds of other families and individuals throughout the greater Lakes Region. “As a single mom, to live in a safe and beautiful home is the most important thing because I have a healthy home for my children to grow up in,” says Carrie. Not only does LRCD offer its residents low rent, they offer a support system that includes things like rental assistance, help with paying electricity, community involvement with fellow LRCD residents, financial education, dental care assistance, and more. Carrie explains it as “almost like having another partner in my struggle. Someone else I can look toward, as a single parent.”
She adds, “It’s been incredibly important and helpful to me, to live somewhere that I’m not just my rent check. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and they care about the wellbeing of me and my family.”
Without the benefit of living in an LRCD apartment, Carrie’s situation would be much different, and when she first moved here, it was.
She and her girls first lived in a typical market rental when they moved back to NH, but with Carrie working part time and no option to work full time, it was near impossible to make ends meet. When they moved out of that rental, it took Carrie a year just to pay off her water bill.
“But, why couldn’t she work full-time,” many will ask.
As Carried explains, “There are many lower income folks that can’t work full time jobs.” In her situation, her youngest required 24-hour oxygen at the time, taking daycare off the table for Carrie to get a full-time job. Today, while her daughter is now in school with a para-educator who has a nursing background, she also requires many trips each month to places like Dartmouth, Boston Children’s Hospital, Mass General, speech therapy appointments and various medical appointments. To have a typical full-time position, just hasn’t been possible since her daughter was born.
As Carries puts it though, she is “perfectly capable of working full time.” So, the flexibility she needs to be able to tend to her daughter’s needs, has also afforded her community the great gift of her time and her voice. And, with the breathing room that affordable housing and LRCD specifically provides, Carrie can shine like the star she is for her girls and her community.
She states, “My girls have come with me all over the state to different meetings and to testify. I’ve really tried to show them why getting involved in the community is important.”
Carrie and her “girls”, as she likes to refer to them, are residents in LRCD’s Harriman Hill apartments in Wolfeboro. Since her return to NH, Carrie has not stopped. In addition to raising two busy teen daughters and one younger daughter with special developmental and medical needs, Carrie works part time remotely for Lakes Region Community Services (LRCS) as their Legislative Liaison. She is also a full time college student working towards a BA in Human Services, and serves on about ten committees, councils and boards, all of which are interconnected to support those with developmental disabilities. “I drink lots of coffee,” laughs Carrie.
In her work with LRCS, Carrie’s job is to sit in on hearings, testify, help families testify, and essentially educate legislators on how bills meant to help those with developmental disabilities may or may not be effective. Carrie says, “I love it. I get to do what I love.”
Interestingly, Carrie earned her job at LRCS thanks to all her volunteer experience where she has served passionately as an advocate for lower income families and those with developmental disabilities. She currently serves on the Wolfeboro Economic Development Committee and the Commission to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Expanded Medicaid.
Carrie was recognized for her work last year, when she was awarded the 2021 Virginia Bowden Award for Advocacy “for her steadfast commitment to advocacy, through her participation on various councils and committees aimed at improving the lives of those with disabilities in NH.” She also received a Health and Wellness Scholarship from New Futures for her advocacy for expanded Medicaid.
Carrie is passionate about her work and shares, “With testifying, especially testifying about Medicaid and the child tax credit, I try to dispel the unfortunate stereotypes out there about people of low income. Most are like me. They’re hard working, they may have a child with a disability, they’re participating in their communities, but they also need some extra support.”
Carrie credits some of that “extra support” to affordable housing such as what LRCD provides to her and her girls, as well as hundreds of other families and individuals throughout the greater Lakes Region. “As a single mom, to live in a safe and beautiful home is the most important thing because I have a healthy home for my children to grow up in,” says Carrie. Not only does LRCD offer its residents low rent, they offer a support system that includes things like rental assistance, help with paying electricity, community involvement with fellow LRCD residents, financial education, dental care assistance, and more. Carrie explains it as “almost like having another partner in my struggle. Someone else I can look toward, as a single parent.”
She adds, “It’s been incredibly important and helpful to me, to live somewhere that I’m not just my rent check. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and they care about the wellbeing of me and my family.”
Without the benefit of living in an LRCD apartment, Carrie’s situation would be much different, and when she first moved here, it was.
She and her girls first lived in a typical market rental when they moved back to NH, but with Carrie working part time and no option to work full time, it was near impossible to make ends meet. When they moved out of that rental, it took Carrie a year just to pay off her water bill.
“But, why couldn’t she work full-time,” many will ask.
As Carried explains, “There are many lower income folks that can’t work full time jobs.” In her situation, her youngest required 24-hour oxygen at the time, taking daycare off the table for Carrie to get a full-time job. Today, while her daughter is now in school with a para-educator who has a nursing background, she also requires many trips each month to places like Dartmouth, Boston Children’s Hospital, Mass General, speech therapy appointments and various medical appointments. To have a typical full-time position, just hasn’t been possible since her daughter was born.
As Carries puts it though, she is “perfectly capable of working full time.” So, the flexibility she needs to be able to tend to her daughter’s needs, has also afforded her community the great gift of her time and her voice. And, with the breathing room that affordable housing and LRCD specifically provides, Carrie can shine like the star she is for her girls and her community.
She states, “My girls have come with me all over the state to different meetings and to testify. I’ve really tried to show them why getting involved in the community is important.”
Chantal
Chantal Bonbon, her mother, brother and his now-wife moved to the Lakes Region from Massachusetts when Chantal was just six years old. The family settled down in a home in Meredith. Over the next 11 years, Chantal attended Inter-Lakes Elementary and High School.
Unfortunately, after finishing her sophomore year, Chantal’s life was flipped upside down when she and her family lost their home to a devastating fire in June 2011. Within a matter of minutes, everything they owned was gone. The family was forced to move from hotel to hotel until they could find a more permanent residence. Luckily, thanks to the help of the community, Chantal and her family were able to secure housing within a week and moved into an apartment at Harvey Heights, a community owned by Lakes Region Community Developers. “Finding housing in Meredith that was affordable for our single income household was important because my mom didn’t want to have to transfer me to a different school system,” Chantal said.
Chantal, now 28 years old, still lives at Harvey Heights and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “While we all still live in the same community, we each have our own apartments now, which has been a blessing. Instead of sharing one apartment with three other people, I now get the freedom to have my own personal space with my dog, Suzy.”
When asked what has kept her a Harvey Heights so long, Chantal talked about the affordability, security, and community it provides her as a single adult. She noted that she doesn’t have many options when it comes to housing because of her income level and her need to be around to take care of her mother. “I want to stay living in Meredith, but rent is sky high and I can’t afford to buy a home in the area. Affordable housing has allowed me to stay living in the town where I grew up, not be stressed about making ends meet, and allows me to be able to take care of my mother.”
Since 2017, Chantal, with the help of her brother and sister-in-law, has been looking after her mother, who is now homebound due to health issues that have rendered her partially blind. Chantal supports her mother in all aspects of her life, including medication administration, grocery shopping, meal preparation, and other activities of daily living.
To say Chantal is a giver would be an understatement. For as long as she can remember, Chantal has always had a passion for helping others, a trait she credits her parents for. “A part of me always had this urge to care for others. Even when obtaining my liberal arts degree at Lakes Region Community College, I always found myself choosing electives in human services,” she said.
In addition to supporting her mother, Chantal also works part-time as a direct support professional for Lakes Region Community Services. “I love my job. As a DSP I get to make a difference by serving and supporting individuals living with developmental disabilities or acquired brain disorders achieve their personal and career goals in the community,” Chantal said. For Chantal, her job is more than just a paycheck. She feels fulfilled by serving others and helping them reach their full potential.
Living in affordable housing has given Chantal the opportunity to continue her passion for serving other and giving back to her community. She recently became a licensed foster parent and had her first placement in November 2020. While it was a learning curve at first, overall it was a great experience for her and the child. Chantal looks forward to her next fostering opportunity.
Unfortunately, after finishing her sophomore year, Chantal’s life was flipped upside down when she and her family lost their home to a devastating fire in June 2011. Within a matter of minutes, everything they owned was gone. The family was forced to move from hotel to hotel until they could find a more permanent residence. Luckily, thanks to the help of the community, Chantal and her family were able to secure housing within a week and moved into an apartment at Harvey Heights, a community owned by Lakes Region Community Developers. “Finding housing in Meredith that was affordable for our single income household was important because my mom didn’t want to have to transfer me to a different school system,” Chantal said.
Chantal, now 28 years old, still lives at Harvey Heights and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “While we all still live in the same community, we each have our own apartments now, which has been a blessing. Instead of sharing one apartment with three other people, I now get the freedom to have my own personal space with my dog, Suzy.”
When asked what has kept her a Harvey Heights so long, Chantal talked about the affordability, security, and community it provides her as a single adult. She noted that she doesn’t have many options when it comes to housing because of her income level and her need to be around to take care of her mother. “I want to stay living in Meredith, but rent is sky high and I can’t afford to buy a home in the area. Affordable housing has allowed me to stay living in the town where I grew up, not be stressed about making ends meet, and allows me to be able to take care of my mother.”
Since 2017, Chantal, with the help of her brother and sister-in-law, has been looking after her mother, who is now homebound due to health issues that have rendered her partially blind. Chantal supports her mother in all aspects of her life, including medication administration, grocery shopping, meal preparation, and other activities of daily living.
To say Chantal is a giver would be an understatement. For as long as she can remember, Chantal has always had a passion for helping others, a trait she credits her parents for. “A part of me always had this urge to care for others. Even when obtaining my liberal arts degree at Lakes Region Community College, I always found myself choosing electives in human services,” she said.
In addition to supporting her mother, Chantal also works part-time as a direct support professional for Lakes Region Community Services. “I love my job. As a DSP I get to make a difference by serving and supporting individuals living with developmental disabilities or acquired brain disorders achieve their personal and career goals in the community,” Chantal said. For Chantal, her job is more than just a paycheck. She feels fulfilled by serving others and helping them reach their full potential.
Living in affordable housing has given Chantal the opportunity to continue her passion for serving other and giving back to her community. She recently became a licensed foster parent and had her first placement in November 2020. While it was a learning curve at first, overall it was a great experience for her and the child. Chantal looks forward to her next fostering opportunity.
ERICA
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Erica, a hard-working mother of two, grew up in the Lakes Region town of Gilmanton, NH. When she had her first child at 19 and second child two years later, she needed to stay in the Lakes Region, where she had the support and help of her mother.
Erica became a Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) resident in 2018 with her first apartment at Harvey Heights in Meredith. Living in Meredith was important to Erica because her daughter was already an established student at Inter-Lakes Elementary School. She also wanted her son to attend the same school. “It was important to me that my kids be together,” Erica explains. When Erica came to live at LRCD, she was working hard as an Assistant Manager at Burger King and participating in a year-long program, Aware Recovery, for her substance use disorder. |
Once Erica had the stability and safety of a home for her kids, she could dream and pursue goals to improve her and her children’s futures. Erica joined the AmeriCorps national service program where, for one year she worked as an AmeriCorps Vista at Navigating Recovery, a grassroots collaborative organization creating a supportive and recovery-informed community for those affected by substance use disorder. AmeriCorps provides a small stipend to their volunteers. As a Harvey Heights resident, Erica’s housing was based on her income, and she had a housing subsidy. With the stipend from AmeriCorps and a housing subsidy, Erica could maintain her housing and meet her family’s needs during her year of service.
Once her year of service was complete, she knew what career was right for her. Erica is now a full-time employee of Navigating Recovery where she is a Recovery Coach.
In this work, she is helping others with substance use disorder work through their recovery. Erica helps them with the steps of recovery and to find housing, employment, and other resources they need. “In this job, I can give back, help people, and it helps me stay accountable,” Erica states.
Erica's employment at Navigating Recovery made her income too high to stay in her home at Harvey Heights Apartments. She was happy in her career and to make more money for her family, but she was concerned about where they were going to live. She needed to stay in Meredith for her kids, and the small selection of rentals available in Meredith were too expensive. So, Erica worked with LRCD’s Resident Services Coordinator and was able to find her family a new home at LRCD’s Pinecrest Apartments in Meredith, where income restrictions are different than Harvey Heights. "I was so relieved to find a new home in Meredith for my kids," says Erica.
Erica is grateful that she gets to raise her children in the Lakes Region. They love that they can hike here and after a short drive, they can be hiking in the White Mountains. Fishing down the street at the docks is also a favorite of theirs. She says her kids also love to swim, sharing “we go to Leavitt Park almost every day in the summer. My kids always want to be in the water”.
When asked about the importance of a stable home, Erica says, “a stable home was the base I needed to pursue the life I wanted for myself and my kids. Without a safe, stable home, it is hard to do anything more than try to survive. I never thought I would have my own apartment or that I would be able to be a normal mom.”
What’s next for Erica? She has an educational grant from her time with AmeriCorps and someday wants to pursue a degree in Human Services. Today she wants to continue to grow, enjoy raising her kids, and help her community.
Once her year of service was complete, she knew what career was right for her. Erica is now a full-time employee of Navigating Recovery where she is a Recovery Coach.
In this work, she is helping others with substance use disorder work through their recovery. Erica helps them with the steps of recovery and to find housing, employment, and other resources they need. “In this job, I can give back, help people, and it helps me stay accountable,” Erica states.
Erica's employment at Navigating Recovery made her income too high to stay in her home at Harvey Heights Apartments. She was happy in her career and to make more money for her family, but she was concerned about where they were going to live. She needed to stay in Meredith for her kids, and the small selection of rentals available in Meredith were too expensive. So, Erica worked with LRCD’s Resident Services Coordinator and was able to find her family a new home at LRCD’s Pinecrest Apartments in Meredith, where income restrictions are different than Harvey Heights. "I was so relieved to find a new home in Meredith for my kids," says Erica.
Erica is grateful that she gets to raise her children in the Lakes Region. They love that they can hike here and after a short drive, they can be hiking in the White Mountains. Fishing down the street at the docks is also a favorite of theirs. She says her kids also love to swim, sharing “we go to Leavitt Park almost every day in the summer. My kids always want to be in the water”.
When asked about the importance of a stable home, Erica says, “a stable home was the base I needed to pursue the life I wanted for myself and my kids. Without a safe, stable home, it is hard to do anything more than try to survive. I never thought I would have my own apartment or that I would be able to be a normal mom.”
What’s next for Erica? She has an educational grant from her time with AmeriCorps and someday wants to pursue a degree in Human Services. Today she wants to continue to grow, enjoy raising her kids, and help her community.
