RSVP Today - April 15 at 4pm  LRCD is hosting it's second annual Housing & Economy Snapshot on Thursday, April 15th from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. The virtual event will include a screening of NH PBS' Communities and Consequences II: Rebalancing New Hampshire's Human Ecology and will be followed by a panel discussion. 4PM - 5PM SCREENING OF THE FILM Communities & Consequences II 5PM - 5:30PM PANEL DISCUSSION WITH Jay Childs, Film Director Bonnie Medico, Eastern Lakes Region Housing Coalition Kathy Barnard, Eastern Lakes Region Housing Coalition Moderated by Carmen Lorentz, Lakes Region Community Developers Generously Sponsored By  State Legislative Update It has been a busy couple of months as the NH Legislature began to tackle its 2021 session in mostly virtual meetings. There have been many proposals regarding housing affordability this session. Here are the highlights from LRCD’s perspective. A big thanks to Housing Action NH for helping its members (like us) keep track of all that is going on! House Budget Hearing Tuesday. New Hampshire's House Finance Committee has scheduled the first public hearing on the state budget for this Tuesday, March 16th at 1 pm. Housing Action NH, of which LRCD is a member, encourages housing advocates to testify in support of funding for:
You can register to testify here by selecting House Finance and HB 1. We recommend that you select “neutral.” You can also email your testimony to [email protected] Housing Toolbox Bill/ HB 586. Following a favorable Ought to Pass recommendation (15-3) from the House Municipal and County Government Committee, HB 586, known as the housing toolbox bill, was tabled by the full House in a vote of 175-172. This is unfortunate because the bill includes important proposals to address housing affordability:
Homeless Services/ SB 140. Senator Cindy Rosenwald’s bill, SB 140, to provide $18 million for homeless services was passed by the Senate 23-1. The bill was amended to source the funding from federal resources. The bill now heads to the Senate Finance Committee. Businesses Support LRCD with Tax Credit Purchases    Thank you to Sheehan Phinney, Stafford Oil, and Wescott Law for supporting LRCD with NH Business Tax Credit purchases! Our tax credit sales support the continued renovations of 193 Court Street. In Phase 1, we did all the work we could afford to do to convert the vacant building into our headquarters and the hub of our community building & engagement work in Laconia. These tax credit sales will support Phase 2 which includes: more insulation, new siding on the north and west walls, parking lot improvements, and landscaping. LRCD Must Sell $39,000 by March 31, 2021 If your business pays NH business enterprise or business profits taxes in NH, you can redirect a significant portion of your tax liability to a local project like this. Please contact Carmen at [email protected] if you are interested in supporting the 193 Court Street Project. Dental Program Update LRCD rolled out our Adult Dental Care program in the Fall of 2020. The rollout included a resource guide that was sent to all our households. The program also includes a limited amount of funding available to help LRCD residents pay for uncovered dental services. The cost-share program is determined on a case-by-case basis and typically grants are for half of the resident's uncovered dental costs. To date, the program has assisted three residents. Don, a dental subsidy recipient, had this to say about his experience - “LRCD staff was so helpful and gracious through the quick completion of my dental repair needs, which produced improved health and peace of mind. Thank you again for providing this program for our community.” Three more residents are currently working on a treatment plan with their dentists. The program has been funded by Northeast Delta Dental, NeighborWorks America and Speare Memorial Hospital. Race Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (REDI) In 2020, LRCD began the process of reviewing our policies, practices, and programs to identify changes that we can make to combat systemic racism and promote race equity, diversity, and inclusion. This is an ongoing process of continuous learning and improvement. In this segment of our newsletter, we will provide regular updates on this work. LRCD has organized a book club for our residents. The LRCD Book Club celebrates diversity and inclusion. LRCD purchases the books for residents and guides a virtual discussion on the book's themes and takeaways. March's book is The Heart is a Burial Ground by Tamara Colchester. Comments are closed.
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193 Court Street, Laconia, NH 03246 • 603.524.0747
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