Latest News - October 2024

Furniture for Bay Street Apartments
8 of 12 apartments fully furnished

Help us unlock a THIRD & FINAL match 
by October 22

Last week’s match was quickly unlocked by three individual donors and a $3,000 contribution by Melcher & Prescott Insurance!

The Hodges Companies continues to wow us with their support of the Bay Street project. They pledged a third and final match of $3,400 to furnish yet another apartment, if we can raise $3,400 from other donors by Tuesday, October 22!
 
Your donation today will help us get to the point where we have 10 of 12 apartments furnished.
 
Our goal is to raise $45,000 by the end of the year to furnish all 12 apartments. With your support, we will be able to offer fully furnished efficiency apartments to people of very low income who are experiencing homelessness, in partnership with Lakes Region Mental Health Center.
 
This project is a critical step in addressing the homelessness crisis. Please help us in this effort by making a donation today. Thank you!

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Bay Street Donor Spotlights

Rev. John Eaton “For years I saw the need and said to myself that if I had the resources I would construct a building with 8-12 supported efficiency apartments for those in need. When I learned LRCD was doing just that, I jumped at the opportunity to contribute to the project.” Rev. John Eaton

In addition to his generous pledge to furnish an entire apartment, John has also purchased 12 small lamps for the bedside tables, a set of sheets for each apartment, and some artwork and greenery for common areas in the building.

John is very keen to make Bay Street Apartments a welcoming and comfortable home for people who have experienced homelessness.

In fact, this entire fundraising campaign was John’s idea! He read about the project in the paper and reached out to us to offer support.
 
Thank you, John, for your kindness and generosity!

Pictured above are Carmen Lorentz of LRCD and Rev. John Eaton of Meredith

​Meredith Village Savings Bank

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Pictured above are Carmen Lorentz and Lori Borrin, Vice President & Mortgage Loan Officer at MVSB
 
MVSB was the first local business to answer the call for support, and they generously pledged to sponsor an entire apartment. MVSB has enthusiastically supported many of LRCD’s projects over the years, and has provided strong leadership on our Board of Directors throughout our 30-year history. MVSB is an outstanding community bank that cares deeply about the communities they serve. Thank you, MVSB!

​Resilient Buildings Group

​Pictured above, Chase Pennoyer, President of Resilient Buildings Group (RBG); Tori Gerlt, Director of the Energy Solutions Implementation Team at RBG; and Carmen Lorentz of LRCD.
 
Resilient Buildings Group (RBG) generously sponsored furniture for one of the living spaces in an apartment, which includes a table & two chairs, loveseat, coffee table, and TV with wall mount.
 
RBG also provided consulting services during the design phase for this project, enabling us to make the building 100% electric and to access energy incentives to help pay for construction. After construction, our goal is to apply for additional funding to add roof-mounted solar to the project. We love using renewables wherever possible to reduce LRCD’s carbon footprint. We rely on RBG to help us pursue this goal. Thank you to the entire RBG team for all you do!

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Bay Street Construction Update

​Things are moving right along at Bay Street Apartments. The concrete slab is cured, a new six-inch sewer line has been constructed, and the driveway and parking area are paved. After a lot of site work, the building will finally start to go vertical in the coming days!

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Resources for Housing Advocacy

​Have you ever been in a conversation about the housing crisis and wished you had some data? If so, here are two great resources for you:
 
Lakes Region Housing Needs Assessment
Published October 2023 by the Lakes Region Planning Commission
 
This study estimates that the Lakes Region needs 7,440 additional units of housing by 2040, and that 3,160 of those units need to be affordable for essential workers and seniors with low fixed incomes.
 
2023 Statewide Housing Needs Assessment
Published March 2023 by New Hampshire Housing
 
This study estimates that New Hampshire needs 90,000 additional units of housing by 2040 to achieve a more balanced housing market where people can find housing they can afford within a reasonable amount of time.