Latest News - March

THANK YOU RESILIENT BUILDINGS GROUP - 2022 VISIONARY SPONSOR

We are thrilled to announce Resilient Buildings Group (RBG) as this year’s LRCD Visionary Sponsor.

RBG, based in Concord, provides customized consulting services to reduce energy costs, improve the comfort and durability of buildings, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With four divisions (High Performance, Utilities, Low Income / Multifamily, Construction Management), they work in retail and office buildings, multifamily buildings, health clubs, schools and municipal buildings, manufacturing facilities, and more. Their mission is to scale-up the number and quality of high performance, low-energy-use, resilient buildings in New England.

Dana Nute, RBG President and Member of the LRCD Board of Directors, explained his decision to sign on as LRCD’s Visionary Sponsor, saying, “Being on the Board, I know what’s going on there and they far exceed a lot of other developers.”  In addition, before starting RBG, Dana worked for a community action agency where he was doing housing rehab and weatherization, making him quite familiar with low-income housing. Dana adds, “It’s always been my interest to help people.”

What does this type of support mean for LRCD?  Carmen Lorentz, LRCD Executive Director says, “It’s great! The financial support is huge, but in addition to that, Dana and his team help us out on a lot of projects.” LRCD is always looking for ways to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint. Dana has also graciously offered to have RBG conduct energy audits at several of LRCD’s older buildings. Carmen shares, “It’s really great to have him as a trusted advisor in those projects.” 

While these energy improvement projects benefit the environment and LRCD, they also benefit LRCD’s tenants. With more energy efficient buildings, LRCD can lessen the monthly utility bill burden of its tenants.

MEREDITH RENOVATIONS UPDATE

Construction began January 3rd on the $5.4 million project to renovate the 25-unit Deer Run apartment complex at 62 Pleasant Street in Meredith, NH. Construction is scheduled to last 12 months.

The renovations of four units are complete at Harvey Heights Apartments in Meredith, NH. Four Harvey Heights residents will be vacating their current apartments, move into their new updated units, and renovations will begin on their old units. Renovations will continue to work in phases like this to limit the number of transitions and disruptions for residents as much as possible. Renovated units have new flooring, kitchen cabinets, window, countertops, energy-efficient appliances and so much more. Common areas are also being renovated.

To learn more about this project visit our website at https://www.lrcommunitydevelopers.org/projects.html

COMMUNITY BUILDING - AMES BROOK GIRL SCOUT TROOP

Some of the young ladies from Ames Brook Apartments have formed a Girl Scout Troop. Ten girls make up newly formed Troop #62017. They are really enjoying building new friendships, learning new things, creating new memories, and of course the cookies!

TRANSITIONAL SHELTER PROGRAM GRADUATE

Tara & Brian, a young couple with three children, joined the LRCD’s Transitional program in 2018. Both Tara & Brian experienced significant trauma in their childhood. Tara had her first child very young. Before coming to the program, they had been couch-surfing for months and staying in a run-down apartment with no running water. The family ended up owing a large sum of money to the previous landlord, making it difficult to secure housing.

Once in the program, Tara & Brian enrolled in a youth employment program that assists people to remove barriers to successful employment. They both obtained jobs shortly after. Within several months in the program, they paid off their debt to the previous landlord and a utility company. They paid their rent and utilities on time throughout their time in our program and complied with all lease and Transitional Program contract obligations. They attended numerous parent education classes, financial workshops, and a tenant course.
 
Tara & Brian were on track to graduate in early 2020. When the pandemic hit, they lost their childcare, keeping Tara from going to work. Tara decided to use this time to get her GED. Tara then successfully became a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant and began working full-time in healthcare in the spring of 2021. The family felt economically secure and graduated from the program in December 2021. Tara & Brian are now paying full rent in a beautiful 4-bedroom LRCD unit.

LRCD is proud of the progress Tara & Brian have made and the resilience they have shown. Our Transitional Shelter Program provides safe shelter and intensive case management for homeless families and individuals while they work on stabilizing their employment, finances, and health. This successful program has provided participants with a path out of homelessness for over 20 years. The program continues to be a place where people can recover, heal, and learn.

NEWEST TAKE THE WHEEL GRADUATE

Our newest program graduate's old vehicle had become unusable and she was depending on rides from her mother and friends.  After receiving a promotion with a pay increase at her job at the Tanger outlets she felt like she could manage a car loan. With financial counseling provided by HOMEteam and a low-rate loan provided by Franklin Savings Bank she was able to graduate Take the Wheel NH and successfully  purchase a pre-owned Honda CR-V from Grappone Automotive.

FAQs - WHAT IS RESIDENT SERVICES?

LRCD has provided resident services to assist the families that reside in LRCD homes since our inception. Resident Services are available to all of our residents. Resident Services assists residents in becoming the best residents they can be by assisting in upholding their lease obligations by paying rent on time, maintaining proper care of their units, and being good neighbors.

Some of the other things our Resident Services Coordinators assist residents with include but are not limited to:

• budgeting;
• connecting to financial resources;
• connecting to community resources
  • parent education, health care
  • mental health services,
  • child care,
  • employment,
  • continuing education (high school, GED, college)
  • & recreation activities;
  • understanding your lease;
  • benefit application and gathering of required documents;
  • help in managing conflicts; and
  • advocacy & referral.

LRCD wants to empower residents to achieve economic security by strengthening factors that improve the health and well-being of our residents. We strive to help residents build their own pathway to economic independence. LRCD is fortunate to have two highly qualified full-time Resident Services Coordinators and numerous funders who support these services and resident initiatives.