Construction is starting to wrap up at our latest workforce housing development, Harriman Hill III in Wolfeboro! A few of the buildings are complete, and the first coat of paving is done on the parking lot. We anticipate construction of this 30-unit development being 100% complete by the end of August.
We hope you can join us in celebrating the completion of this long-awaited project.

Ribbon Cutting Event
Monday, September 14
10:00 am
Harriman Hill III
Off Beck Drive, Wolfeboro NH
RSVP to [email protected]

On August 3rd the Sara Allen Early Learning Center opened its doors at the renovated Gale School in Belmont. The center is operated by Lakes Region Childcare Services, a division of Boys & Girls Clubs of Central and Northern NH.

On June 30th, we gathered with many supporters and funders to celebrate the completion of the long-awaited renovation of the beloved Gale School in Belmont. There were so many people and organizations involved in this project. You should see the donor plaque inside – it is definitely the biggest one ever!

Countless members of the Belmont community supported the project in many ways with contributions big and small.

In particular, we’d like to acknowledge the following people and organizations, without whom this project would not have been possible.

Save Our Gale School Committee
Woody Fogg
Gary Gilbert
Ken Knowlton
Bob & Lisa Lord
Diane Marden
Mark Padula
Brenda Paquette
Mark Roberts
Earl Sweeney
Sal Steven-Hubbard
Carmen Lorentz

Generous In-Kind Donations Made By
Padula Excavating
Geddes Building Mover, Inc.
Leslie E. Roberts, LLC
Eversource
Coleman Concrete
Nutter Enterprises
Allstate Concrete Foundations
Breezeline
Canterbury Timber Co.
Gary Gilbert Masonry
KRM Landscapes

Generous Contributions Made By
Miracle Farms
The Hodges Companies
Boothby Therapy Services
Wood & Clay
Bob & Lisa Lord
Grappone Automotive Group
Franklin Savings Bank
Hart's Turkey Farm
Meredith Village Savings Bank
Greene's Corner Market
Shaker Regional School District
Pierce Atwood
Camden National Bank
Gilford Community Church
Resilient Buildings Group
Belknap Landscape Company
Bank of New Hampshire
Stewart Property Management
Lakehouse Grille at Church Landing
The Barn on the Pemi
Northpoint Engineering
Quality Insulation
Bonnette, Page & Stone
Martini Northern
Winnisquam Marine
Kerry Clairmont
George Condodemetraky
Allan Corriveau
Robert Stevens
Belmont Rotary
Belmont Heritage Commission

Financing, Tax Credits & Grant Funding Provided By
Capital One
Evernorth
New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority
Governor's Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery
Senator Jeanne Shaheen
United States Department of Agriculture
New Hampshire Land & Community Heritage Investment Program
Northern Border Regional Commission
New Hampshire Housing Lead Hazard Control Program
Rural LISC
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
Cogswell Benevolent TrustNew Hampshire Preservation Alliance
The 1772 Foundation
​Jeffrey Taylor Fund

​We are hiring! Help us find a new Resident Services Coordinator for our Laconia and Tilton portfolio by sharing this job posting - See Here. Melissa Shadden-Cyr has served in this role since May 2021. She will be moving on to a new job later this summer as the School Social Worker at SAU 4 (Newfound Area School District). We are looking for someone with experience in the human services field to fill the role immediately.

LRCD’s Resident Services Coordinators work to strengthen factors that improve the health and well-being of our tenants. This includes resource brokering and assistance with benefits, coordinating educational programming, supporting community building activities by residents (e.g., events, gardens, community clean-up days), coordinating youth leadership opportunities, providing mediation, and mentoring / coaching residents. Resident Services Coordinators at LRCD are an integral part of our asset management strategy and work closely with our third-party property manager.

LRCD seeks a non-profit organization that provides services to people with low and moderate income to lease the second floor of the beautifully restored historic Gale School building.

The 1,971-square-foot commercial space blends timeless architectural charm with modern amenities. Original historic character has been thoughtfully preserved while incorporating contemporary finishes to create a unique and welcoming environment.

Features include:

• A large community room perfect for hosting meetings, classes, and events
• Fully equipped kitchen with a double oven, large island, and abundant cabinet storage
• Office and meeting space
• ADA-accessible bathroom with shower
• In-unit washer and dryer
• Elevator access

​
For more information, please contact Caitlin Meaney at 603.524.0747 ext. 108 or CMeaney@LRcommunitydevelopers.org

 ​Thank you to Franklin Savings Bank for their recent grant to help replenish our GoodNeighbor Fund! 

We use our Good Neighbor Fund to assist tenants with very low income who experience a financial hardship. The goal is always to help them maintain stable housing.

In 2025, we paid out $25,371 on behalf of 45 households to assist with rent & utility balances, car repairs, emergency medical expenses, and household supplies. We are very proud of the impact that our Good Neighbor Fund has on our tenants, and we are grateful to FSB for their support!

​If you have a fully-paid life insurance policy and you and your family no longer need the benefit, you could consider naming LRCD the full or partial beneficiary. There is no cost involved in setting this up; you can simply contact your insurance carrier to update your policy beneficiaries.

Our legal name is Laconia Area Community Land Trust, Inc. dba Lakes Region Community Developers, and our tax ID number is 02-0426348.

Sal Steven-Hubbard, LRCD's Senior Real Estate Developer, will retire on June 25th after 14 years of service at LRCD.
Sal has remained fiercely committed to the belief that everyone deserves to live in a safe home. For 35 years, she dedicated herself to the difficult task of creating affordable housing opportunities for people with low income throughout New England.
Sal always joked that she never saw a site she didn't want to develop. She wasn't afraid to take on difficult projects -- in fact, the more challenging the project, the more she seemed to want to do it! She had just the right mix of unbridled optimism, creativity, and persistence to excel in this field.
Under Sal's leadership, LRCD created, preserved, and improved nearly 200 units of affordable housing in the Lakes Region, including building the first multi-family property in New Hampshire to achieve Passive House certification (Gilford Village Knolls Phase III).
We will miss Sal's adventurous spirit, her passion for social justice, and her infectious laugh. LRCD truly will not be the same without her!
Congratulations on your retirement, Sal!

Tuesday, June 30
5:00 to 7:00 pm
60 Concord Street, Belmont NH
 
We are excited to invite the community in for a look at the beautifully restored Gale School. No RSVP required - just stop on by!

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the retirement of Stuart LaSalle, who has steadfastly worked in pursuit of LRCD’s mission for the past 20 years. We are incredibly happy for Stuart as he starts his next chapter in life, but we will miss him tremendously! His last day at LRCD is May 28th.
 
As Finance Director, Stuart has been the consistent and reliable backbone of our organization, ensuring that we are excellent stewards of the resources invested in our mission by so many funders, local businesses, and individuals. His outstanding work provided a strong foundation for LRCD’s growth. During his tenure, our portfolio grew from about 100 apartments to nearly 400 today!
 
Stuart has been more than a co-worker – we often joke that he is our “office dad.” From taking out the trash, clearing snow off our cars, and offering sage counsel on personal matters, it is perhaps these many gestures of kindness that we will miss the most.
 
Stuart will continue to help his community in new ways in his “retirement.” Last year, he received his Master Usui Reiki certification and opened his own practice, Holding Hands with Spirit. We know he is excited to be able to dedicate himself full-time to his new calling.
 
Congratulations and best wishes to you, Stuart! You are one in a million!

​In 2026, nearly 77,000 New Hampshire residents lost their Medicare Advantage plan, as the market faced “significant disruptions.” According to the New Hampshire Insurance Department, this breakdown is the result of federal changes, including “Reduced federal payment rates to insurers, additional federal regulations and compliance requirements, and changes in federal administrative formulas that affect plan design.”
 
While Medicare Advantage recipients did not necessarily lose their coverage (federal law currently guarantees that Medicare-eligible people will continue to have coverage), many people lost the additional and vital benefits that Advantage plans offered. These additional benefits included vision, dental, and even rides to medical appointments. As Advantage plans left the state, as many as 5% of New Hampshire residents lost access to oral health and vision care, but perhaps most consequentially, many of them lost access to transportation.
 
In the state of New Hampshire, Medicaid recipients have access to an admittedly very flawed transportation assistance program. A transportation coordination center verifies appointments and contracts with transportation providers to pick patients up, bring them to their appointments, and return them home. While this program is riddled with issues (including no shows and late arrivals that can have disastrous consequences), it does offer one precarious solution to address the problem of how people experiencing poverty can access medical care.
 
However, at the age of 65 or upon enrolling in Medicare (which could be sooner, if you have a disability), a transition is triggered that can disrupt or even remove access to this transportation program. Medicare provides significantly fewer supports than Medicaid does, so the switch leaves many vulnerable older adults and people with disabilities unexpectedly stranded, and without suitable replacements.
 
The community has sought to address this issue creatively. Local agencies have worked to develop networks of volunteers to drive older adults to their appointments, but this is dependent on a volunteer being available and willing to take the request.  A bus was also introduced to pick seniors up and bring them to run errands, but this is a very time consuming process, and some individuals have reported being left behind by the bus. Furthermore, if you need to see a specialist out of Hanover or Boston, these solutions are not appropriate. The bus can’t take you there, and the volunteers often won’t (besides, their program limits rides to within 60 miles of their home base). 
 
One LRCD resident had a long-standing provider based out of Dartmouth Hitchcock in Lebanon. When they became unable to drive, they had to find another way to get themselves there. Despite efforts to find appropriate transportation resources, this resident was unable to get to Dartmouth to see their provider. Losing this support resulted in decompensation and ultimately, long-term hospitalization. Another resident needed to get to an appointment with a specialist in Concord. There was no bus to take them to this appointment, so they contacted an agency to request a volunteer driver. The morning of the appointment, they were alerted that there was no volunteer available. The appointment was cancelled. Due to the lack of reliable transportation, the resident did not reschedule.
 
People on Medicare are people over the age of 65 or people with significant, life limiting disabilities – two populations with some of the greatest medical need – and the most likely to be unable to drive. Nevertheless, they have the hardest time accessing appropriate transportation to medical appointments, especially now that Medicare Advantage plans have all but disappeared in New Hampshire.

​“It is a privilege and an honor to pass along our commitments and gifts to LRCD to help finish Harriman Hill III,” said Pastor Dawn Adams. “We are happy to welcome new neighbors to the community in this way, and we pray that other people in the area will join us in helping to create new homes for people who need them.”

​We are grateful to all the volunteers who work hard year-round to raise money for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Fund. The Fund has been a critical source of support for our efforts to create and operate affordable housing for hundreds of Lakes Region families every year.

​The simplest and most common way to include Lakes Region Community Developers in your estate planning is to make a charitable provision in your will or trust.
 
This kind of charitable bequest can take several forms. It can be a designated dollar amount, a percentage of the estate, or “the residual” – that is, the amount remaining in the estate after all other obligations and payments have been made.
 
If you are interested in leaving a gift to Lakes Region Community Developers in your will or trust, please make sure to speak with your attorney. We encourage you to provide your attorney with this sample language:
 
“I hereby give and bequeath ______________ (dollar amount, percentage of my estate, or residual of my estate after other bequests) to Laconia Area Community Land Trust, Inc dba Lakes Region Community Developers, 193 Court Street, Laconia, New Hampshire, 03246, for its general purposes.”
 
Our federal tax ID number is 02-0426348.

​Looking back on 2025, it was a year of contrasts. On the one hand, we made significant progress on several real estate development projects that had been in our pipeline for some time. It was inspiring to see these projects coming to fruition because they all help address critical housing and community development needs in the Lakes Region.
 
On the other hand, it was disheartening to witness big policy changes in a variety of social safety net programs, including food assistance and Medicaid. These critical programs support the well-being of working families, seniors, and people with disabilities in our community. Most of the tenants who live in our apartments fall into one or more of these categories, and we are concerned about how these changes will impact them.
 
While the work that we do continues to become more complex and challenging, we remain committed to our mission to create affordable housing opportunities and empower our tenants to achieve economic security. With your continued partnership and support, we will keep moving forward, regardless of the headwinds that we face.
 
Read our 2025 Impact Report

Good news! LRCD recently received a grant from the Bishop’s Charitable Assistance Fund to help replenish our Good Neighbor Fund, which provides LRCD tenants in crisis with much-needed financial support to maintain housing stability.
 
The Bishop’s Charitable Assistance Fund makes grants to tax-exempt organizations without regard to religious affiliation for projects that help people in New Hampshire meet their basic needs. The Fund is operated by the Bishop of Manchester and a volunteer board of lay men and women Directors who make recommendations to the bishop for grants to organizations in New Hampshire whose mission is consistent to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The Fund raises money through solicitation of individuals, businesses, and philanthropic organizations.

By Melissa Shadden-Cyr, LRCD Resident Services Coordinator
 
On November 1, 2025, the state of New Hampshire began to implement new work requirements for the SNAP program. Under these new rules, any person deemed an ABAWD (Able Bodied Adult Without Dependents) receiving SNAP benefits (also known as Food Stamps) would be required to demonstrate that they are working, volunteering, or participating in a work program for at least 80 hours per month. The work rules themselves are not new, however under new regulations, more people are being considered ABAWDs.
 
Prior to November of 2025, work requirements were imposed upon people between the ages of 18-54 without dependents under the age of 18. Exemptions were given to those who were veterans, aging out of foster care, or experiencing homelessness. Under new federal legislation, the defined age of an ABAWD expanded to 18-64, and the age of eligible dependents dropped from 18 to 14. Moreover, the important exemptions were removed.
 
Many LRCD residents are eligible for SNAP. Our community is made up largely of working families, seniors, and people with disabilities. While some of our residents will be exempt from these new work rules, many will not.
 
One resident, a 63-year-old with a disabling back condition, learned that he will need to document these hours to continue receiving around $150 per month in food assistance. He tried for many years to get SSDI benefits (“disability”), but as anyone who has been through the application process can testify, it’s nearly impossible to get approved without an attorney.
 
After receiving a denial notice, he ultimately decided he would just wait to be retirement age and make do with SNAP, working side jobs when his body would allow. When he learned that he would need to start documenting 20 hours per week of work activities, he was optimistic. “I’d like to volunteer,” he told me, but then explained that most of the places he could volunteer have waitlists, and cannot offer a consistent 20 hours per week.
 
Due to his disability, as well as transportation issues, it will be difficult to find a job that is manageable, and flexible enough to allow him to attend doctors’ appointments. Some work programs that might help him develop new job skills, such as Operation Able (formerly known as CSEP) have also been under federal fire recently, and their future is somewhat unknown. Others are notoriously difficult to enter due to high demand, and limited resources.
 
Work requirements have been demonstrated to be ineffective at increasing employment or earnings, because they do not address barriers to employment. For LRCD tenants who are not working but are also considered “ABAWD”, transportation is a major barrier. Jobs are often too far from residential areas for those who would have to walk, public transportation is virtually non-existent, and the price of a vehicle is prohibitive for someone without steady income.
 
Work requirements, are, however, good at causing people to lose food assistance. These new regulations will shift the burden to our already strained network of food pantries and charitable organizations. Ultimately, they will result in more members of our community struggling to access food, opting instead to ration or go hungry.

Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) is pleased to announce the addition of Shannon Casey, Leslie McEvoy, and Tate Miller, all residents of Laconia, to LRCD’s Board of Directors. The Board provides leadership for carrying out the organization’s mission to create affordable housing and empower LRCD’s tenants to achieve economic security.
 
Shannon Casey is an Associate Broker Realtor with Keller Williams Coastal and Lakes & Mountains Realty. She was born and raised in the Lakes Region and earned her Bachelor’s degree in finance from Franklin Pierce University. Before starting her real estate career in 2018, she was the CFO of Bigcatcoffees.com. Shannon is a Director for the Lakes Region Board of Realtors, a member of the Commercial Board of Realtors, and served for many years on the board of the Franklin Business & Industrial Development Corporation. She is passionate about all things planning and zoning and enjoys mentoring other realtors. In her spare time, she studies saxophone at the Music Clinic in Belmont.

Shannon Casey, Realtor, Keller Williams Coastal Lakes & Mountains

Steve Dwyer is a semi-retired independent consultant who lives in Moultonborough. After a career as a team builder, CFO and business partner in the Asia-Pacific region, Steve applied his skills to the non-profit sector in California, serving as executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County and then executive director of Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/Santa Barbara. Shortly after he and his wife moved to New Hampshire in 2020, Steve worked as a consultant for LRCD on its Harriman Hill III project.  He is the Treasurer for his HOA and spends time renovating his home and hiking and fishing in the summer.

Leslie McEvoy, resident at LRCD’s Millview Apartments and LRCD Board member

Tate Miller is a Commercial Loan Officer with Meredith Village Savings Bank, based out of MVSB’s Laconia branch. He began his career with MVSB in 2022 as a Commercial Loan Apprentice, working alongside several members of the Bank’s commercial lending team to learn key aspects of lending, credit analysis and business networking. Prior to joining MVSB, Tate gained experience in marketing and customer service roles. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in business and marketing from Plymouth State University. In addition to serving on LRCD’s Board, Tate volunteers with the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, Hands Across the Table, Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction and New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival.

(L to R): Hayden Maroun, Madelyn Maroun, Chris Maroun, and Andy DuBois of Miracle Farms present a check in support of Harriman Hill III

​Miracle Farms of Moultonborough purchased $100,000 in CDFA Tax Credits to support our latest workforce housing project, Harriman Hill III in Wolfeboro.
 
As the Lakes Region’s premier full-service landscape and property maintenance company, Miracle Farms employs a sizable and growing team. With their focus on caring for their employees, they know first-hand the significant need for workforce housing in the area. We are grateful for their partnership and support which makes it possible for us to finish the 30 new affordable apartments at Harriman Hill III by this summer.
 
If your business would like to partner with us to create workforce housing, please Contact Carmen Lorentz at [email protected] today.

Construction progress on the Gale School in Belmont

Although we started construction on the rehabilitation of the historic Gale School in Belmont last summer, we continued to work through the fall to finalize all the financing for the project.
​
We are happy to report that on December 18, we closed our New Markets Tax Credits deal with Evernorth and Capital One, putting in place the final piece of the financing stack and ensuring the project will be completed in late spring.

​It was such a pleasure to interview Judi Donnelly, a resident of our Harriman Hill apartment complex since 2014. Judi’s story illustrates how workforce housing benefits retirees. As our local workforce ages in place, it is important that we provide quality housing options where people can afford to live out their retirement in comfort and dignity. Read Judi’s story here.