LRCD is featuring residents who live in our affordable housing throughout the year. We will share their life journeys, struggles, triumphs, and aspirations. We think you will find that their goals and dreams are not so different from your own. Affordable housing is about everyone in our community being able to afford a home that supports good physical, financial, and emotional well-being. 

Erica, a hard-working mother of two, who grew up in the Lakes Region town of Gilmanton, NH is our first feature. To read the rest of Erica's story click here.

Prior to joining CATIC, Ms. Willey was a founding member of Boutin Law, PLLC, where she focused on real estate closings, general litigation, corporate law, and related legal matters. She previously served as a senior associate in the Litigation Department at Devine, Millimet & Branch, PA. During law school, she served as a clerk for the Honorable Joseph P. Nadeau on the New Hampshire Supreme Court.
 
Ms. Willey earned her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Plymouth State University and her Juris Doctor and Master of Law in Intellectual Property from the University of New Hampshire School of Law (formerly Franklin Pierce Law Center).
 
Ms. Willey has served on the Lakes Region Board of Realtors as a Legislative Committee Member and she served as Co-President of the Board of Directors of Dress for Success – New Hampshire. She is also a graduate of Leadership Lakes Region, Class of 2013.

In January, LRCD joined the Economic Mobility Exchange, a global anti-poverty network of 70+ non-profits, foundations, academic institutions, human service providers, and government agencies. Exchange members advance a groundbreaking approach to combat poverty, which has a proven track record of helping people of low income achieve economic independence.
 
As part of the Exchange, LRCD is working with Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath) to implement a Mobility Mentoring®-informed approach to support LRCD tenants.
 
Mobility Mentoring helps people of low income focus on, and achieve, future-oriented goals. It works by pairing them with trained mentors—who use a coaching method informed by the latest brain science—to set, reach, and sustain long-term goals. Mobility Mentoring has received national recognition for helping families of low income make big gains in education, employment, and personal finance.
 
Mobility Mentoring was developed by EMPath, which started using it in 2009. EMPath has seen remarkable results since, especially by graduates of its flagship five-year program. The percent of participants with college degrees has gone from 38% to 74%; and the percent of participants who are employed has gone from 65% to 97%.

Currently, New Hampshire is one of only 10 states where Medicaid covers only emergency care like tooth extractions. Efforts to give the 80,000 New Hampshire adults on Medicaid preventative dental benefits has again gained momentum in the Legislature.

On February 3, 2022, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 422, which would provide adults on Medicaid coverage for routine dental care such as x-rays, flouride, cleanings, and oral surgery that would help prevent more serious health conditions. 
LRCD'S Adult Dental Program has been working to fill the gap of adult dental care needs for our residents. LRCD has provided 27 dental grants to residents since the programs inception in October 2020. Grants to residents have been for fillings, crowns, root canals, extractions, dentures, x-rays, cleanings, and more.

LRCD’s Dental Assistance Program provides tenants with guidance in finding dental providers and matching grants of up to $1,000 to cover half the cost of services. The average grant is $420.

LRCD is hopeful that efforts to include adult dental care as a Medicaid benefit will be successful this session. Until then, we will continue to assist residents in accessing the care they need. We are grateful to the dental program funders who make this assistance possible, NeighborWorks America, Northeast Delta Dental Foundation, and Speare Memorial Hospital.

This month as part of our race equity, diversity and inclusion (REDI) work we will honor Black History Month. At LRCD, we recognize Black History Month as one opportunity to celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of Black people in our country and in our communities.
 
While there are numerous resources that are well worth noting, we’d like to share the history of Black History Month. Please visit this wonderful article from Learning for Justice to learn about the origins and significant figures who helped create this national time of recognition:
 
https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/the-history-behind-black-history-month
 
Also, check out these tips for how to talk to your child about Black History Month:
https://mamaknowsitall.com/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-black-history-month-a-script/

The ongoing pandemic creates a great deal of uncertainty, but there is one thing we know for sure: we need more housing.
 
As you can see from NH Housing’s December 2021 Housing Market Snapshot, we have underbuilt significantly over the past decade. We need about 20,000 new housing units statewide in order to stabilize the housing market.
 
Our new 2022-24 Strategic Plan details what LRCD plans to do to address the housing affordability crisis here in the Lakes Region. We are also excited to employ new tools in our efforts to empower our residents to achieve economic security.
 
Thank you for supporting our work. We can’t do it without you!

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. Upon completion, the property name will change to Harvey Heights.

Planned improvements include interior renovations to all apartments, the addition of a sprinkler system for life safety, and a multitude of energy efficiency improvements, including new windows, doors, insulation, and siding. The goal of the project is to ensure the units have good indoor air quality and are energy efficient, which is good for the tenants, the community, and the environment. The project also includes improvements to the grounds.
 
The property will remain occupied throughout construction. Blocks of four apartments will be vacated on a rolling basis to complete the interior renovations.
 
Funders that made this project possible include Raymond James Tax Credit Fund, New Hampshire Housing, New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, NeighborWorks America, and Rural LISC. Construction financing is provided by Franklin Savings Bank. Permanent financing is provided by NeighborWorks Capital and USDA – Rural Development. North Branch Construction is the construction manager. Stewart Associates Architects and Northpoint Engineering comprise the design team.

Click here for press release.

On January 3, the Northfield Planning Board did the right thing and voted not to move forward with a proposed amendment to the town’s zoning ordinance that would have stopped our proposed 66-unit housing development on Route 140. We can now begin the process of seeking planning approvals for our project.
 
We have submitted our application for a special exception, which is the first step in the process. We are on the agenda for the January 24th Zoning Board meeting.

As we begin a new year we are grateful for the generous support we have received. Below we have highlighted a few funders who are supporting our work and programs in 2022.

• The Dobles Foundation has provided $25,000 to help support our Real Estate Development and Resident Services Programs.
  
  
• Bank of New Hampshire granted us $5,000 to construct a community garden at Ames Brook Apartments in Ashland.This garden will help us combat food insecurity, further build community engagement, and offer fresh healthy choices to residents.
  
  
• NH Electrical Co-op awarded LRCD $3,000 to support our Housing Stability Program. The Housing Stability Program helps very low-income families overcome barriers to stable housing and economic security.

Take the Wheel NH was featured on the NeighborWorks America blog.

How healthy is the space around you, and how well do you feel within it? Environmental wellness focuses on building an environment around you that is sustainable and life-giving. Some examples of environmental wellness might include things like creating organized spaces, reducing clutter, improving air quality, gardening, or making efforts to reduce your carbon footprint.

Some things you can do to improve your Environmental Wellness are:

• Find one space in your home to de-clutter. Breaking overwhelming tasks down into small chunks makes us way more like to accomplish our goals. Try focusing on one drawer, one cabinet, or one closet;
  
  
• Donate your used clothes, toys, and homegoods. Your used clothing, toys, and homegoods can be turned into the programs your community depends on. Donating your belongings to places like Salvation Army and St. Vincent De Paul ensure that families in your community have access to food,clothing, and emergency financial assistance. It also helps keep these things from polluting our world!;
  
  
• Make your own cleaning products. Here are some recipes for DIY Household Cleaners:
  https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a24885/make-at-home-cleaners/; and
  
  
• Switch to reusable bags.Did you know it takes 1,000 years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill? Plastic virtually never goes away! Tryusing canvas totes, reusable shopping bags, or just reusing the plastic bags you have! For more tips on caring for theenvironment, check out this link: https://www.ecofriendlyhabits.com/how-to-be-eco-friendly/
  

(Meredith, NH) – Construction began January 3rd on Lakes Region Community Developers’ (LRCD) $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. Upon completion, the property name will change to Harvey Heights.
 
“This project has been five years in the making and we’ve had to overcome many obstacles,” said Carmen Lorentz, LRCD’s Executive Director. “I’m proud of our team for persisting against all odds to preserve these affordable units and bring them up to our healthy housing standards.”
 
LRCD purchased the property in 2016. It was built in the 1970s using a US Department of Agriculture – Rural Development financing program that requires the property be maintained as affordable housing for 40 years. After that, the owner can essentially do what they want with the property. In this case, the owner wanted to sell it.
 
Given the property’s location, LRCD believed there was a high likelihood the property would have been redeveloped as high-end housing, meaning 25 units of affordable housing would have been lost. LRCD purchased the property to preserve it as affordable housing. Due to the scarcity of resources in New Hampshire to develop and renovate affordable housing, it took LRCD five years to put all the funding together. “It’s unbelievably competitive when you apply for funding,” said Lorentz. “The need is so great, but the resources are very limited.”
 
Planned improvements include interior renovations to all apartments, the addition of a sprinkler system for life safety, and a multitude of energy efficiency improvements, including new windows, doors, insulation, and siding. The goal of the project is to ensure the units have good indoor air quality and are energy efficient, which is good for the tenants, the community, and the environment. The project also includes improvements to the grounds.
 
The property will remain occupied throughout construction. Blocks of four apartments will be vacated on a rolling basis to complete the interior renovations.
 
Funders that made this project possible include Raymond James Tax Credit Fund, New Hampshire Housing, New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development, Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, NeighborWorks America, and Rural LISC. Construction financing is provided by Franklin Savings Bank. Permanent financing is provided by NeighborWorks Capital and USDA – Rural Development. North Branch Construction is the construction manager. Stewart Associates Architects and Northpoint Engineering comprise the design team.

Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) seeks to develop housing for essential workers and the elderly on Route 140 in Northfield in the “South Park” subdivision next to the Birch Hill Pet Resort. This land is in the Commercial Industrial Zone (C-1 Zone) under the Northfield Zoning Ordinance. Multifamily projects are currently permitted by special exception in the C-1 Zone. LRCD is on the agenda for the January 3, 2022 Northfield Planning Board Meeting. Yes, that’s tonight!

LRCD just learned that also on the agenda tonight is a public hearing on a proposal to amend the zoning so that multi-family development is not allowed in the C-1 Zone. While we do not know the origin of this proposal, we do find its timing suspicious. An abutter to our project has stated to us that he will do all he can to stop our project from moving forward, and we are aware by word of mouth that he has, in fact, been working to do just that.

Under the law, municipalities may only adopt zoning ordinances for the good of the general welfare of the entire town, not to support the interests of a few people. Zoning is intended to promote public, not private, interests. Zoning amendments made outside the adoption of a new master plan are frowned upon. Zoning should not be done piecemeal and spot zoning is illegal.

The Town of Northfield Master Plan was adopted in 2014 and is, therefore, not stale. In fact, the 2019 Northfield Community Profile reinforces the need for affordable housing and specifically lists, as a challenge, "zoning too restricted for affordable housing" (Community Profile, page 13).

Northfield residents who are concerned about this issue should participate in the public hearing tonight, January 3, at 7pm or email the town with comments before 4pm today, asking that those comments be read into the record of the hearing tonight. Emails should be sent to Stephanie Giovannucci sgiovannucci@northfieldnh.org by 4pm today. Please share this information with any friends or family in Northfield. Thank you.
 
Carmen Lorentz
Executive Director
Lakes Region Community Developers

Boothby Therapy Services has purchased $100,000 in New Hampshire business tax credits to support the redevelopment of the Gale School in Belmont. The project will transform the historic schoolhouse into a community facility that will include a new early learning center operated by the Boys & Girls Club and a new program center operated by Lakes Region Community Services.
 
“We’re always looking for ways in which we can support the children and families in our community beyond what we offer at Boothby Therapy Services,” said Maren Boothby, MS, CCC-SLP and President, Boothby Therapy Services. “Contributing to the redevelopment of the Gale School falls perfectly in alignment with our mission to help children succeed and we are proud to be a part of this fantastic project.”
 
“We are incredibly thankful to have the support of Boothby Therapy Services,” said Carmen Lorentz, Executive Director of Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD), the developer of the project. “Support from our local business community is critical to bringing the Gale School back to life so it can serve children and families once again.”

MORE TAX CREDITS AVAILABLE NEXT YEAR
Construction on the Gale School could begin as early as summer 2022 if all funds are secured as planned. LRCD was awarded $500,000 in tax credits for this year and another $250,000 for next year. All $500,000 for this year have been sold.

Businesses interested in purchasing tax credits next year for the Gale School project should contact Carmen Lorentz at LRCD by calling (603) 524-0747, ext 110.

 The NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program provides financial assistance for New Hampshire renters who cannot pay their rent and utilities during the pandemic. The program works with tenants and landlords, and is expected to be available through at least 2022.  The state’s five Community Action Partnership agencies accept and process applications for assistance. Applications can be submitted at CAPNH.org.
 
Since it launched in March, NHERAP has expended $75 million to help more than 10,000 New Hampshire households remain in their homes by making payments to property owners and utility companies. As of this writing, approximately 60 LRCD tenants have collectively received $201,965 in rental assistance in 2021, with another $22,194 in assistance pending.

LRCD residents have also been assisted by generous funders who supported our Eviction Prevention Program. Funders include
NeighborWorks America, The Dobles Foundation, The Linden Family Foundation, Northeast Delta Dental, The Hodges Companies, and EverSource Engergy.

FEDERAL UPDATES
Funding for housing and community development in the federal fiscal year 2022 budget remains on hold despite the new fiscal year having started on October 1, 2021. In order to prevent a government shutdown earlier this month, Congress passed a second continuing resolution that funds all federal programs at fiscal year 2021 levels through February 18, 2022.
 
Congress is one step closer to enacting the Build Back Better Act with the House’s approval on November 19. Build Back Better includes major investments in housing, including:

• $25 billion to expand rental assistance,
• $65 billion to preserve public housing, and
• $15 billion to the national Housing Trust Fund to build and preserve homes for extremely low-income households.

The bill’s fate is currently in the hands of the Senate.

STATE UPDATES
As the New Hampshire Legislature gears up for its 2022 session, here are two issues we are paying attention to:
 
We expect the “Housing Toolkit” bill will be reintroduced (again). This bill contains a range of new tools that local governments can use to encourage development of affordable housing. Despite being drafted and sponsored by a bipartisan group of legislators in 2019, the bill died during the truncated 2020 session and faced unexpected opposition during the 2021 session. Let’s hope the third time’s the charm this year!
 
The Housing Appeals Board has been up and running for about a year now, doing its important work to provide an expedited process for housing developers to appeal denial of local approvals outside the NH court system. We expect, yet again, that there will be an effort by some in the legislature who oppose affordable housing to shut down the Housing Appeals Board.

Take the Wheel NH has had two more successful graduates!

One is a full-time employee at a Lakes Region manufacturing company who has been riding a bike to work. The other is a full-time employee of a domestic violence shelter whose high-interest rate on their current car loan was making it impossible to get ahead. We are thrilled that they have both found reliable, fuel-efficient, and affordable cars!

LRCD continues to be grateful to the hard working and generous partners of this program, HOMEteamNH, Franklin Savings Bank, and
Grappone Automotive Group. We are also grateful to the programs major funder, The Linden Family Foundation.

With the generous support from businesses and individuals, 11 children who live in our affordable housing developments will have the opportunity to experience overnight camp in summer 2022.

Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) has established an Overnight Camp Scholarship program in partnership with YMCA of Greater Boston, the owner and operator of North Woods Camp for Boys and Pleasant Valley Camp for Girls, both in Tuftonboro, NH. 

Campers will attend either North Woods Camp for Boys or Pleasant Valley Camp for Girls for two weeks. They will learn outdoor skills, conquer fears, and build confidence, friendships and memories that leave a lasting imprint. Camp allows all kids to just be kids and provides a life-changing experience.
Thank you to all those that supported this program!

Before you see a completed project, a long list of things has happened. Some of those things are:

1. Feasibility analysis - zoning, wetlands, density, infrastructure
2. Make an offer with contingencies, pay a deposit
3. Deeper site investigation, concept plans, planning approvals
4. Secure funding/financing

Steps 1-4 can take 12-18 months and cost $100,000 to $150,000, if planning goes smoothly and funding applications are successful.

Once funding is secured, another 6-8 months and $100,000 to $150,000 more to get to closing and start construction. After approximately 28 months and $200,000+ construction is able to begin.