Generally, IRA distributions are taxable, but qualified charitable distributions remain tax-free if sent directly to a qualified charity by the trustee.

Laconia Area Community Land Trust, Inc dba Lakes Region Community Developers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization (Federal Tax ID 02-0426348) that can accept tax-free qualified charitable distributions from an IRA.

IRA owners age 70½ and older can make tax-free charitable donations directly from their IRA. 

IRA owners age 73 or older must make a Required Minimum Distribution from their IRA each year, and qualified charitable distributions count toward this required minimum.
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Any IRA owner who wishes to make a qualified charitable distribution for 2025 should contact their IRA trustee this fall to ensure they have enough time to complete the transaction before the end of the year.

Contractors are making good progress on the painstaking work of selective interior demolition, lead paint abatement, and asbestos abatement involved in the redevelopment of the Gale School. These photos give you a sense of the care and time that is involved in this work. All renovations are being conducted in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for historic rehabilitation. ​

Lots of important news about affordable housing over the summer. Here is a quick run-down, in case you missed any of these.​

• Governor Ayotte signs a package of new laws to help address NH’s housing crisis.
  
  
  
• NH is the 12th most expensive state to rent housing and $27 per hour wage needed to afford a one-bedroom,
  
  
  
• Bipartisan ROAD to Housing Bill Approved by Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

We are loving the ongoing transformation of 11 Jameson St, Laconia into three units of supportive housing for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, in partnership with Lakes Region Community Services! This project is on track to be completed in September.

NH Housing and NH Community Development Finance Authority provided funding for this project.
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Hollis Construction Management is the contractor.

For 25 years, we have been a chartered member of NeighborWorks America, a network of 250 community development organizations across the country. NeighborWorks funding and training helps us carry out our mission here on the ground in the Lakes Region. It’s inspiring to learn about the network’s impact on the nation’s housing crisis last year and to know that we are part of this effort:

• 431,600 individuals and families assisted with affordable housing and counseling
  
• $4.6 billion invested in creating new homeowners
  
• 211,900 affordable rental homes owned and/or managed
  

 Click here to read NeighborWorks’ annual report. ​

​Residents at Lochmere Meadows in Tilton and River’s Edge Apartments in Laconia did some spring cleaning outdoors to make the grounds of their apartment communities more enjoyable for everyone. Both groups did a great job!

CONCORD – Governor Kelly Ayotte recently issued a proclamation declaring June 7 – 14 as NeighborWorks Week in the State of New Hampshire, and encouraging “all citizens to recognize and support the vital work being done by NeighborWorks organizations to build stronger, more resilient communities.” The full text of the proclamation can be found online at governor.nh.gov.
 
Chartered by Congress in 1978, NeighborWorks America is a network of nearly 250 non-profit organizations across the country who receive support from NeighborWorks America through grants, training and partnerships that create affordable housing and promote community well-being. Every year, during NeighborWork Week, the network celebrates their collective impact. The theme this year is “Creating Homes, Building America,” which reflects the significant impact that NeighborWorks America has on the nation’s housing affordability crisis.
 
There are four NeighborWorks organizations in New Hampshire: AHEAD in the North Country, CATCH Neighborhood Housing in Merrimack County, Lakes Region Community Developers, and NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire. In 2024, the four organizations collectively invested over $67 million in affordable housing in New Hampshire, owned and operated 2,246 affordable rental homes, created 202 new affordable rental homes, and provided 1,027 people with first-time homebuyer education and financial counseling.
 
“We are so happy that Governor Ayotte chose to celebrate NeighborWorks Week with us by issuing this proclamation,” said Carmen Lorentz, executive director of Lakes Region Community Developers. “It helps build awareness of the work we do every day to create affordable housing opportunities in our communities.”
 
Nation-wide in 2024, NeighborWorks America and its network delivered:

• $11.2 billion in total investment across the country
• 431,549 housing and counseling services
• 104,957 individuals educated or counseled
• 16,269 new homeowners
• 211,856 rental homes owned or managed
• 83,986 homes repaired
• 13,542 rental homes constructed, acquired or preserved
• 12,844 homes preserved or rehabbed
• 48,885 jobs created or maintained

 
NeighborWorks America is a congressionally chartered and funded organization that brings national resources to local communities. For every $1 of NeighborWorks’ congressional appropriation, $71 are leveraged and invested in housing and community development projects across the country.
 
Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) has been a chartered member of NeighborWorks America since 2000. LRCD’s rental portfolio of 366 affordable apartments provides healthy, affordable housing to over 750 people each year. In 2025, LRCD is adding 15 units of supportive housing in Laconia; plans to begin construction on 30 affordable apartments in Wolfeboro; plans to begin construction on the redevelopment of the Gale School in Belmont for childcare and family supports; will invest over $1.2 million to improve its existing rental portfolio in Laconia and Meredith; and will continue pre-development work on a project that will deliver 80 affordable homes in Ashland. To learn more about Lakes Region Community Developers and/or its leadership team, visit LRcommunitydevelopers.org.

In Laconia, something powerful is happening behind the quiet doors of 11 Jameson Street.

This formerly single-family house is being transformed into three permanent supportive apartments for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities — individuals who are ready to live independently, but who, until now, have had few options beyond living with parents, entering foster care, or being placed in a 24/7 facility.

Thanks to a partnership between LRCD and Lakes Region Community Services, Jameson Street Apartments will be the first of its kind in the Lakes Region — a model for what inclusive, independent living can look like in our community.

Construction is nearly complete inside.
But the outside? It still needs help.
Announcing the 2025 NH GIVES DAY Fundraising Campaign for LRCDWhat’s Still Needed
Due to escalating construction costs, the final renovation budget didn’t include any landscaping or outdoor work. That’s where our community comes in.We’re launching a one-day fundraising campaign on NH Gives Day to raise $12,400 for:

• New picket fencing to replace the falling structure and improve safety
• A seeded lawn to create usable green space
• Foundation plantings to add beauty and warmth to the home
• Hard pack for the driveway to smooth over potholes and ensure accessibility

These aren’t just cosmetic upgrades — they are the final touches that turn a building into a home residents can feel proud of.
 Three Ways You Can Help Learn more about the project here.  Save the DateNH Gives Day is coming soon — June 10-11.
We’ll be sharing the full story behind Jameson Street, the impact of each donation tier, and how you can help us cross the finish line. Stay tuned.
Together, we can create a home that reflects the dignity, independence, and potential of the people who will live there.
 Partner with us to CREATE A CHALLENGEWe're inviting our loyal supporters to take early action and help us build momentum before the giving day begins.
Right now, we are looking for donors interested in providing a challenge match to encourage even more community participation on NH Gives Day.
If you’re able to commit a match amount (big or small), it will be used to double the impact of donations during our 24-hour campaign. This is one of the most effective ways to inspire giving — and a powerful step you can take today.
To provide a match gift, contact Carmen Lorentz at
[email protected]
(603) 524-0747 x110

On April 24th, Volunteers from the Lakes Region Board of Realtors spent a day helping us spruce up two duplexes at 365 & 371 South Main Street in Laconia. Volunteers raked up leaves, picked up litter, painted exterior trim, and painted interior walls in common areas. This was a great way for these local realtors and partners to give back to the Laconia community. We are so grateful for their volunteer service!
 
Pictured above from left to right: Jane Jordan, Megan Colby, Crystal Bullerwell, Angela Smith, Wendy Bagley, Lori Borrin, Eric Petel, Travis Cole, Kelly Beebee, Scott Knowles, Paula Finigan, Emily Mulcahy, Bob Rafferty, Caitlin Meaney.
 
Not pictured: Libby Talbot

​On March 28th, we cut the ribbon on Bay Street Apartments, which will offer 12 units of permanent supportive housing in Laconia for people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness, in partnership with Lakes Region Mental Health Center.
 
We’d like to express our gratitude to the design team – Stewart Associates Architects, Northpoint Engineering, and Resilient Buildings Group – for their outstanding work designing this beautiful and energy efficient building. We are so appreciative of Bauen Corporation and all their subcontractors for their diligent workmanship and amazing team spirit.

​We would like to thank the City of Laconia and Belknap County for applying for grant funds on behalf of the project.
 
Bay Street Apartments would not have been possible without financing and grant funding from New Hampshire Housing (funding from the National Housing Trust Fund and the New Hampshire Affordable Housing Fund), New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (funding from the federal Community Development Block Grant), Invest NH, and NeighborWorks Capital.

​We are so grateful to the many advocates and donors who contributed to this project. It truly has been a community effort, all the way from the permitting process to furnishing the apartments.
 
We expect the building to be fully occupied within in a few weeks. 

​We have added a new page to our website where Ashland residents can find detailed information about the proposed Village at Mill Pond housing development. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation circulating in the community about the project, including amongst members of the planning board.
 
The Village at Mill Pond, proposed at 35 Mill Pond Lane in Ashland, will offer 76 units of townhouse-style rental housing (60 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom apartments), as well as four single-family lots to be developed in partnership with Pemi Valley Habitat for Humanity.
 
The site is a former paper mill and an active Brownfield. Our Executive Director, Carmen Lorentz, recently wrote a letter to the editor to push back on misinformation about the status of the environmental assessment process.
 
If you have friends or family in Ashland, please share these resources with them so they can form an accurate understanding of the project. 

​Year over year, we continue to be inspired by the community spirit and dedication of all the volunteers who make the Children’s Auction a success. This year, we are fortunate to receive a $30,000 grant from the Auction for operating support. This critical funding enables us to continue our mission of creating affordable housing opportunities and empowering our tenants to achieve economic security. We are also appreciative that the Auction recently featured us in one of their Changemaker Chronicles profiles on their blog! 

​April 21-25 is National Community Development Week, which is a time to highlight the importance of the Community Development Block Grant, which is administered here in our state by New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which is administered by New Hampshire Housing.
 
We rely on funding from both programs in nearly all of our housing developments. These federal resources are absolutely critical for New Hampshire. Unfortunately, they are at-risk in the current environment. Please contact your US Representative and both of NH’s Senators to express your support for CDBG and HOME. We cannot address our housing and homelessness crisis without these vital resources!

​Help us reach our goal to raise $12,000 for landscaping and outdoor furniture at Jameson Street Apartments, which will offer three units of permanent supportive housing for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in partnership with Lakes Region Community Services.

11 Jameson Street
​Construction got underway on March 3 on this project in Laconia to convert a single-family house into three one-bedroom apartments. These apartments will be supportive housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Lakes Region Community Services will provide ongoing supportive services to the tenants. Construction is planned to be completed this fall.
We are grateful to NH Housing, the NH Community Development Finance Authority, and the City of Laconia for providing the funding for this project.
 
Hollis Construction Management is the general contractor.

Retirement funds are a great asset to leave to charity, because – unlike your heirs – charitable beneficiaries do not have to pay any income taxes for receiving those funds.

Leaving IRAs or other retirement assets to LRCD is quick and easy – you can simply notify the custodian of your retirement funds that you want all or part of a particular fund to pass to “Laconia Area Community Land Trust, Inc dba Lakes Region Community Developers.” Our Federal Tax ID number is 02-0426348.

Bay Street Update
Construction on Bay Street Apartments in Laconia is wrapping up in just a couple weeks! What a transformation from the burned-out house and pile of rubble that was on the site.
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​This property will offer 12 efficiency apartments for people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness. Supportive services will be provided by Lakes Region Mental Health Center.

State Housing Policy Update
The NH Legislature has moved several pro-housing proposals forward this session, including mandatory zoning changes and increased state funding. While the session is far from over and the state is facing significant budget constraints, there is clear bipartisan support for common-sense proposals that will help our state address the very serious housing crisis that we face. We encourage you to sign up for Housing Action NH’s weekly newsletter to get the latest.

​Construction of Bay Street Apartments continues moving ahead on schedule with completion planned for late March. The electric wiring is done, the air-source heat pump system is up and running, and half of the exterior siding has been installed. Drywall goes up soon!
 
This building will offer 12 efficiency units of supportive housing for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Lakes Region Mental Health Center is the supportive services provider for this project.

​Thank you to Northpoint Engineering for their generous contribution to the Bay Street furniture fundraising campaign! Northpoint is a longstanding partner of LRCD; they provided the civil engineering services for Bay Street and have worked on many other LRCD projects.
 
LRCD also received a $2,500 gift from Melcher & Prescott Insurance and Co-operative Insurance Companies in January for the Bay Street furniture campaign. The gift was awarded as part of Co-op’s Community Grants program. Thank you to Melcher & Prescott for applying on our behalf!

​If you would like to make housing a part of your legacy, consider making a charitable provision for LRCD 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 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.”
 
Please contact Carmen Lorentz at (603) 524-0747 x110 for more information.

Just before Christmas, the Save Our Gale School Committee (SOGS) signed the deed for the Gale School property in Belmont over to LRCD. We continue working to try to close on all the financing and begin construction this year.
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LRCD plans to restore the 1894 Gale School according to state and federal historic preservation standards. When renovations are complete, the Boys & Girls Club of Central and Northern New Hampshire will operate a childcare center on the first floor and Lakes Region Community Services will have a new program center on the second floor where they will offer classes and programming for all ages.

​LRCD is grateful for a recent grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s John F. Jr. and Patricia Weeks Fund for general support. This type of flexible funding is critical to our ability to create more affordable housing in the Lakes Region.

​Things are changing daily in the policy and funding landscape. Like many other non-profit organizations, LRCD is concerned about fast-moving developments at the federal level that may impact our ability to carry out our mission. Due to how quickly things are happening, we encourage interested readers to sign up for email updates from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the National Council of Nonprofits, both of which do a great job staying on top of everything going on.
 
At the state level, Housing Action NH is a fantastic resource. They now offer a weekly email newsletter on Fridays pre-viewing the housing-related bills scheduled to be heard or voted on in the NH Legislature. We definitely recommend you sign up for their updates if you’d like to weigh in on state housing policy proposals.

​Thank you to Lakes FM 101.5 for their in-depth show on February 7 about housing and homelessness in the Lakes Region. Click here to listen if you missed it.