LRCD’s new headquarters and Court Street Neighborhood Center are now up and running at 193 Court Street, Laconia. Although we still have some finishing touches to complete, LRCD staff are now working from the new space and gearing up to offer a range of new community building and engagement programming at the Neighborhood Center. LRCD is also pleased to welcome the Central Region staff of Granite United Way as tenants of 193 Court Street.
 
Save the date for our open house!
 
Thursday, November 14
4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
193 Court Street, Laconia
 
Hosted in conjunction with the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce as part of their Business After Hours event series.

Our 2018 resident survey indicated that LRCD residents wanted more community building events at their properties to help them get to know their neighbors better. This summer, our UNH intern, Ally Crowley, helped organize a fantastic series of resident events, including BBQs, ice cream socials, and the creation of a four-square court with young resident leaders at our Pinecrest Apartments in Meredith.

Once again the summer flew by and it's time for kids to head back to school. Wondering how to make going back to school more planet-friendly? Here are 10 tips!

1. Get new school clothes second hand;
   
2. Inventory your supplies before buying more;
3. Choose non-toxic and eco-friendly school supplies;
   
4. Buy used textbooks;
5. Pack a lunch;
6. Use a non-toxic lunch box and water bottle;
7. Ditch the toxic hand sanitizers;
8. Green the school commute;
9. Don't idle your car in front of the school; and
10. Explain to your kids why you're making greener, heather choices.

For more details about making back to school more green click here.

After many months of hard work, LRCD closed on the financing package for a $4 million rehabilitation project on our 40 unit apartment complex in Ashland (known as Ledgewood Estates). The property will be called Ames Brook Apartments after renovations are complete.
 
We are grateful to our partners at USDA Rural Development, NH Housing, Raymond James, NH Community Development Finance Authority, the Town of Ashland, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, and Franklin Savings Bank for working with us to fund this much-needed renovation project and bring this property up to our healthy housing standards. We also thank NeighborWorks America and Rural LISC for their support throughout the pre-development stages of this project.

Stewart Associates Architects is providing all architecture services and North Branch Construction was selected as the construction manager. Planned renovations will improve life safety systems, indoor air quality, accessibility, and energy efficiency.

The good news is that the new state budget contains several provisions to help address New Hampshire’s housing crisis. The bad news is that the budget was not finalized before the June 30th deadline, and legislative leaders and the Governor have yet to agree on a way forward.
 
In the meantime, a continuing resolution was approved that funds all state programs at the same level as last state fiscal year. Unfortunately, the fate of many good proposals to address the housing affordability crisis hangs in the balance until the budget is finalized. Read Housing Action NH’s latest update for details.

Dispose of hazardous household items properly at your local Household Hazardous Waste Day. Residents and taxpayers of Alexandria, Andover, Belmont, Bridgewater, Bristol, Center Harbor, Effingham, Franklin, Freedom, Gilford, Gilmanton, Hebron, Hill, Holderness, Laconia, Meredith, Moultonborough, New Hampton, Northfield, Ossipee, Sanbornton, Sandwich, Tamworth, Tilton and Tuftonboro are eligible and encouraged to bring their hazardous waste products to any of the collection sites. on July 27th from 8:30am to 12:00pm and/or August 3rd from 8:30am to 12:00pm.

Visit the Lakes Region Planning Commission website for a list of eligible items and the 2019 HHW Participant Survey you're required to complete.

We celebrated NeighborWorks Week with a block party at our Avery Hill development in Laconia on Saturday, June 1st. NeighborWorks America is a national network of excellence made up of 250 housing and community development organizations. We have been a chartered member of NeighborWorks America since 2000. Every year in early June, hundreds of NeighborWorks organizations around the country mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers, businesspeople, neighbors, friends, and civic leaders in a week of neighborhood change and awareness. 
 
Our block party was the culmination of a neighborhood clean-up and beautification effort at Avery Hill. During the month of May, we worked with residents to de-clutter, pick up trash, and plant flowers. Our property manager, The Hodges Companies, cleared up brush, did some painting, and rejuvenated the neighborhood playground. We are currently working on additional landscaping, brush clearing, removal of a blighted walkway, and improved lighting and fencing to respond to neighborhood safety concerns at Avery Hill. We are grateful to the Bank of New Hampshire and the Annette P. Schmitt Trust for funding this neighborhood improvement project. Avery Hill families are very excited about the changes.
 
More than 50 LRCD residents joined LRCD staff and board members in the block party celebration on June 1st. Everyone enjoyed music, food, and games.  The blender bike where you can make your own smoothie was a big hit, and the kids all enjoyed making slime. Funding for the event was generously provided by The Hodges Companies and NeighborWorks America.

We are also appreciative of Franklin Savings Bank, New Hampshire Job Corps Center, New Beginnings, Partnership for Public Health, and The Doorway at LRGH for providing games and information to our residents.

Ally Crowley is interning with Lakes Region Community Developers this summer. She is currently a junior at the University of New Hampshire studying at the business school. Ally will be spending the summer running a Youth Leadership program that will span our properties in Meredith and Tilton. For this Youth Leadership program, she will be recruiting kids ages 10-17 who are interested in having a say in their community and its future activities. This program is a great way for kids to become empowered and cultivate their leadership skills. When the youth speak out about their concerns and aspirations, the whole community benefits!

Leave your destination better than you found it. When you are out enjoying nature this summer make an effort to clean up after yourself before you leave. Follow these 7 principles to Leave No Trace.

1. Plan Ahead & Prepare
2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

 

Tradesmen Builders Corp. is hard at work transforming 193 Court Street, Laconia into LRCD’s new office and Court Street Neighborhood Center. This project will provide LRCD staff and volunteers with more functional space in which to work, and it will serve as the hub of our community building and engagement programming in Laconia.
 
The first phase of renovations will include build-out of the interior to accommodate 10 individual offices, community meeting space, and a large kitchen. Also planned in the first phase are significant upgrades to the exterior south wall of the building, including installation of windows, additional insulation, and new siding.
 
We are raising additional funds to complete the exterior treatment on the other walls of the building, as well as resurface the parking lot and do landscaping and signage improvements.
 
LRCD plans to move over to Court Street this summer.

The state budget process is entering its next phase. The House has sent its version of the budget over to the Senate. The Senate previously stated its position to increase funding for NH’s Affordable Housing Fund and for homeless services and eviction prevention, both of which are critical to address the state’s housing crisis.
 
At this juncture, the Senate needs to decide if their stated positions on these two funding increases are feasible based on updated revenue projections. There are many competing priorities right now. Please call or email your state senator and ask the following:
 

1. Please support the funding levels for the Affordable Housing Fund as passed by the Senate in SB 15: $10 million appropriation and a $5 million annual deposit from Real Estate Transfer Tax revenue.
   
   
2. Please support the funding levels for the expansion of homeless services as passed by the Senate in SB 84: $2 million for eviction prevention; $2 million for case management expansion; and $1 million for rapid-rehousing.

 
Why:

• The affordable housing crisis is undermining workforce recruitment and driving millennials out of state.
• Homelessness has increased by 10% in NH since 2016, a direct result of the lack of supply of affordable housing.
• Every other New England state has increased investments in affordable housing production. NH must do the same in order to compete in the regional economy.
• NH's domestic violence and homeless shelters are full of working families ready to transition back to housing but can't find an affordable place to live.
  

Lori moved to Meredith from Vermont in 1993, at which time she started her career at Meredith Village Savings Bank. While at MVSB she has held the positions of Teller, Head Teller, and Branch Manager, then became a Loan Officer in 2006 and is now Vice President, Loan Officer in the Main Office.
 
Lori volunteers with the Moultonborough Meals-On-Wheels program as a member of their Site Council. She also serves on the Lakes Region Builders and Remodelers Association Parade of Homes Committee and as a mentor for the Circle Program.
 
Lori has taken many courses to further her education. She is a graduate from the Northern New England School of Banking and is currently completing her last year at New England School for Financial Studies at Babson.
 
Lori lives in Moultonborough with her husband. She enjoys spending time on the lake and traveling.

Our 4th Annual Putt Putt Tournament is just over a month away! This event supports a great cause and is a fun family night out with mini-golf and dinner included!
 
To register, click HERE or contact Caitlin Meaney at 603.524.0747 ext. 108 or at cmeaney@lrcommunitydevelopers.org.

The tournament is on Friday, June 21st from 4 pm to 7 pm at Pirates Cove, Winnisquam.

Did you know that the average American uses nearly 21,000 sheets of toilet paper a year—roughly the length of 23 football fields? That’s a lot of toilet paper! Check out this article to see what grade your favorite TP brand got - "New Report Reveals Which Sustainable Toilet Paper Brands Are Actually Sustainable - And Which Aren't"

As the 2019 session of the New Hampshire Legislature progresses, two bills that we care about continue to make progress.
 
Senate Bill 15 provides a one-time $10 million appropriation to New Hampshire’s Affordable Housing Fund and establishes a $5 million annual transfer into the Fund from Real Estate Transfer Tax revenues. SB15 passed the Senate in mid-March. It was introduced in the House on March 20th and referred to the House Finance Committee, where it will have its first hearing on April 23rd. If one of your representatives is on the House Finance Committee, please contact them to express your support of SB15.
 
Senate Bill 84 calls for a significant increase in funding for homeless services and eviction prevention. SB 84 also passed the Senate in March. It was subsequently “laid on the table.” By doing this, the Senate has established their position on the funding contained in the bill and will use that position during budget negotiations with the House. Please call or email your state senator and ask them to include the funding from SB 84 in the Senate’s version of the budget.

Our 4th Annual Putt Putt Tournament is only two months away! Sponsor a tee today for only $100. Your logo will be seen by 150+ participants and you will be supporting a great cause!
 
To secure your sponsorship, click HERE or contact Caitlin Meaney at 603.524.0747 ext. 108 or at cmeaney@lrcommunitydevelopers.org.

The tournament is on Friday, June 21st from 4 pm to 7 pm at Pirates Cove, Winnisquam.

Earth Day is April 22nd.  On this day take a moment to enjoy the outdoors, the fresh air, and the sounds of nature. It is a day that we can take time out of our busy schedules to consider the environment and what steps we can take to minimize our impact.

Celebrate Earth Day by appreciating and respecting the natural world. Click here for some ideas to inspire you!