Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors: Reuben Bassett, Commercial Agent, The Legacy Group / Keller Williams and John Libby, Certified Public Accountant.
 
LRCD’s Board provides mission-based leadership, supporting the organization’s work to create affordable housing and empower their tenants to achieve economic security.  
 
Reuben and his wife Karen have spent the last 12 years opening and growing restaurants in Laconia, including Burrito Me, Local Eatery, Wayfarer Coffee Roasters, and Wayfarer Coffee Lakeport.
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As a local restauranteur, Reuben is keenly aware of the housing crisis, especially for people who work in the food service industry locally. “The shortage of workforce housing has gotten so bad these past few years. I am excited to join LRCD’s Board so I can be part of the solution.”

John Libby is a Certified Public Accountant in both New Hampshire and Maine with offices in Moultonborough and Dover. His experience consists of assisting businesses and individuals with tax strategy, planning, and compliance, while also delivering a wide range of business advisory services. He currently serves on the board of the Wentworth Economic Development Council in the Wolfeboro area and first became aware of LRCD because of their 48-unit affordable housing complex in Wolfeboro, Harriman Hill.
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“Harriman Hill is a really nice property that provides housing for a lot of employees of local businesses. I look forward to helping LRCD create more housing opportunities like Harriman Hill over on this side of the lake. We really need it.”

​We need the financial support of our local business community in order to produce more units of affordable housing for essential workers. Most housing developments that we undertake cost us $150,000 to $300,000 before we can get a shovel in the ground.

Email CLorentz@LRcommunitydevelopers.org today if your business would like to be a Housing Champion.

“We are proud to support LRCD’s work to address the housing crisis in the Lakes Region. We also love that they go to great lengths to incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy in all their developments – our missions are highly aligned.”
—Dana Nute, President of Resilient Buildings Group

​LRCD is partnering with Lakes Region Mental Health Center to create 12 units of supportive housing for people of very low income at 17-19 Bay Street in Laconia. According to a draft rental gap analysis by Lakes Region Planning Commission, Laconia needs 584 more units of housing affordable to people under 30% of area median income, which is the demographic that our project will serve.

A fire one year ago destroyed one of the structures on the lot and the other is vacant. Our project will improve this blighted property and result in a beautiful building that fits into the neighborhood.

On February 7th, the Laconia Planning Board approved our conceptual plan. This means we can move forward with a site plan application under the City's performance zoning rules, which provide greater flexibility on issues like density and parking.

Our proposal has generated some opposition from residents in the neighborhood who have been negatively impacted by the homelessness crisis. Unfortunately, there has been a great deal of misinformation spread about the project. We look forward to demonstrating what a benefit this will be to the neighborhood and to the city as we move through the process.

​The occupied rehabilitation project at Harvey Heights Apartments in Meredith is now complete! The $5 million renovation project transformed the property inside and out, improving safety, accessibility, ventilation, energy efficiency, and aesthetics.

Our vision is for everyone to live in a healthy home – one that is energy efficient, has good indoor air quality, and is free of any hazardous materials such as lead paint, asbestos, or mold. Housing is one of the most important social determinants of health. We are proud of the hard work we did over six years to bring Harvey Heights up to the same standards as the rest of our portfolio because we know what a big impact this has on the families who live there.

Stay tuned for a virtual tour of Harvey Heights next month!

​Neighbors in Need is a charitable organization that provides financial assistance to individuals and families in need within the Laconia, Gilford, Meredith, Tilton and Belmont communities. LRCD’s resident services coordinators work closely with Neighbors in Need to help our tenants overcome barriers or manage crises.
         
Neighbors in Need has helped our residents pay for car repairs, car registrations, dental care, medical treatments, movers, furniture, and cleaning supplies. Neighbors in Need takes the lead in communicating with other local organizations and charities if additional financial resources are needed in order to respond to a request for assistance.
 
LRCD is so thankful for Neighbors in Need. They are the 'catch-all' organization for providing financial assistance and finding local services when it seems all other options are exhausted. Our residents can count on Neighbors in Need to provide help whenever possible – thank you for being a partner our community can rely on!

Kylie Goss is a tenant at Lochmere Meadows, an affordable housing complex in Tilton developed by Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD). Kylie grew up in the Lakes Region and has been here her entire life, except for one year she spent living in Florida.

When Kylie was younger, she struggled with substance use disorder. She is proud that she has been in recovery for eight years now.
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She explains, “what got me out of it was finding out I was going to have a child. I tried a couple times to get sober, but nothing worked until I found out I was pregnant.” She was living in Florida at the time. 

As soon as she learned a baby was on the way, Kylie packed up and headed back home to the Lakes Region to be closer to family. Read Kylie's full story...

Not only is North Branch Construction an outstanding construction management company (they did Harvey Heights in Meredith and Ames Brook in Ashland), they are also very generous!
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North Branch recently donated $2,000 to LRCD out of their safety fund, which is kind of like a swear jar but for on-the-job safety violations. This is one of the many ways they focus on worker safety. In addition to getting employees and subcontractors to pay close attention to safety rules, they donate the money to a non-profit at the end of the year!

What a great company!

A new legislative session is underway in Concord. Over the next few months, state lawmakers will wade through over 800 proposed bills. In addition, the 2023-24 budget development process is picking up steam with the current budget ending June 30th. All eyes are on Concord to see what policies and funding levels are proposed for affordable housing. Our friends at Housing Action NH provide a great overview here.

Key issues that LRCD is concerned about:

• Funding for the state’s Affordable Housing Fund: In the last budget, lawmakers included a one-time appropriation of $25 million for the Fund, plus an annual carve-out of $5 million in real estate transfer tax revenue. This resulted in an unprecedented total of $35 million in state funding being set aside for affordable housing in the two-year budget. This was significant because New Hampshire has historically not invested much state money in housing; instead relying on federal funding to subsidize the development of affordable housing.
  
  New Hampshire’s Affordable Housing Fund is important to developers. It provides NH Housing with flexible funding they can use to stretch the federal resources they administer to facilitate development of more affordable housing units, including much-needed supportive housing for people of extremely low income. Our hope is that state lawmakers invest even more in the Affordable Housing Fund in the next budget since the housing and homelessness crisis continues unabated. More resources are needed to make a dent in the problem.

 

• Funding for homeless services: We will also be watching the budget numbers for the Housing – Shelter Program within the NH Department of Health and Human Services, which is the part of the state budget that provides funding to homeless services providers across the state. In light of the significant increases in unsheltered homelessness statewide during the pandemic, we are hopeful that the state will invest more funding in these critical organizations and services.

​Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) is proud to announce they were recently awarded a $20,000 grant from Rural LISC and Clayton Homes to support LRCD’s healthy housing initiative in their scattered site rental units in Laconia.
 
The grant will support LRCD’s ongoing efforts to ensure these units meet healthy housing standards. This initiative is focused on 33 of LRCD’s multi-family buildings in Laconia, most of which are 50-100 years old. Together, these buildings contain a total of 80 affordable apartments.
 
With this grant from Rural LISC and Clayton Homes, LRCD can continue to invest in the improvement of these buildings; something they’ve been focused on for the last ten years. Despite significant renovations in many of these units, there are still improvements to be made in order for LRCD to meet their own high standards. During the past two years, LRCD began to systematically conduct lead testing and abatement to ensure all of their units are Certified Lead Safe. They also began performing energy audits in these older buildings to identify additional energy efficiency improvements to save their tenants money on their utility bills.
 
LRCD Executive Director, Carmen Lorentz says, “We are so grateful for the support of Rural LISC and Clayton Homes. This grant helps us achieve our vision where everyone in the Lakes Region lives in a home that supports good physical, financial, and mental health.”

In this environment, it is challenging to provide affordable housing opportunities – we really can’t do this work without you!

We have a crisis looming, and we need your help. Will you please make a donation today to help us prevent evictions?
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Sadly, many of our tenants are struggling right now due to continuing pandemic instability and the increased costs of food and utilities.

Your donation today will help us keep a family in their home this winter.
 
Our mission is to create housing opportunities, so eviction is not an acceptable outcome. Evictions are bad for families and bad for our economy.

We must help families maintain stable housing while keeping our properties financially viable. Your financial support will help us do this. 

Thank You, 
Carmen Lorentz, Executive Director

Granite VNA is New Hampshire's largest not-for-profit, community-based home health and hospice agency. Granite VNA offers a wide range of personalized and community services, including home care, hospice, palliative care, pediatric and maternal child health services, grief support, and wellness programming. With services offered in 82 communities within the Greater Concord and Lakes Region, tenants at all of LRCD’s properties can benefit from Granite VNA's programs and services.
 
Granite VNA provides workshops for LRCD tenants on-site at LRCD properties or on-line, giving LRCD tenants opportunities to learn skills, gain independence, and ask questions in a group setting. Some of the most recent workshops our residents have participated in are Stress Management, Exploring Forgetfulness, and Healthy Living & Food Wellness.
 
Alongside workshop opportunities, Granite VNA provides individualized services to the residents at LRCD properties through 1-on-1 Health Coaching, medication management and advocacy, and aging-in-place support. These services allow our residents to feel confident in taking control of their health with the help of professionals. Medication management and advocacy through Granite VNA have been essential for residents needing to obtain lock boxes for medication or seeking alternative care from opioids. Aging-in-place services have allowed our elderly residents to remain in their homes while aiding in promoting movement safety and ease.
 
Granite VNA has provided NH with health and wellness services for decades and continues to do so. Lakes Region Community Developers is thankful for the support and services they provide to our residents – thank you, Granite VNA, for being part of our community!    ​

​Lakes Region Community Developers (LRCD) is proud to announce they were recently awarded a $20,000 grant from the TD Charitable Foundation for LRCD’s Affordable Rental Housing Program.
 
The philosophy behind LRCD's Affordable Rental Housing Program is that housing is a platform that all people need to thrive. People who live in healthy, safe, stable housing are better parents, neighbors, and employees. The objectives of LRCD’s Affordable Rental Housing Program are to create housing opportunities for people of low income and to empower them to achieve economic security.  To achieve these objectives, LRCD operates, and maintains affordable rental apartments and provides support services to the tenants who live in them.
 
Over its 29-year history, LRCD has developed 367 rental homes for people of low income in Ashland, Gilford, Laconia, Meredith, Tilton, and Wolfeboro, including the recent preservation and rehabilitation of 65 units in Ashland and Meredith that would have converted to market-rate housing had LRCD not acquired them.
 
TD Charitable Foundation is committed to making a difference in the communities served by TD Bank. Driven by the TD Ready Commitment, the Foundation supports programs that bring people together, give them access to the resources they need and provide meaningful solutions for a sustainable and inclusive tomorrow. The TD Ready Commitment is a global initiative that helps level the playing field for those who need it most. By empowering people with an equal chance to succeed today, TD Charitable Foundation is opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.
 
“We are thrilled to support the work being done by Lakes Region Community Developers,” says Barbara Rosendahl, TD Store Manager in Bristol. “Their mission and the impact they seek to have on the Lakes Region aligns perfectly with our TD Ready Commitment.”
 
“This grant is so impactful. It really helps us fulfill our mission during a difficult time,” says LRCD Executive Director, Carmen Lorentz. “The housing crisis is dire, and our tenants are struggling due to continued pandemic instability, inflation, and the high cost of electricity. This grant will help us keep people housed, while continuing to focus on developing more affordable housing for essential workers and seniors.”

In this environment, it is challenging to provide affordable housing opportunities – we really can’t do this work without you!

We have a crisis looming, and we need your help. Will you please make a donation today to help us prevent evictions?

Last month, we learned abruptly that New Hampshire’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program is no longer accepting new applications. This leaves many of our tenants with nowhere to turn for help. With cold weather here and the holidays right around the corner, this could not have happened at a worse time.
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Sadly, many of our tenants are struggling right now due to continuing pandemic instability and the increased costs of food and utilities.

Your donation today will help us keep a family in their home this winter.

As a non-profit affordable housing provider, we set break-even operating budgets for all our properties. Our goal is not to earn a profit, but to keep rents affordable. We have been doing this work successfully for 30 years. We now provide housing to over 350 households in the Lakes Region.

Our mission is to create housing opportunities, so eviction is not an acceptable outcome. Evictions are bad for families and bad for our economy.

We must help families maintain stable housing while keeping our properties financially viable. Your financial support will help us do this. 

Thank You, 
Carmen Lorentz, Executive Director

​We are happy to report that we have sold all $750,000 in state tax credits for the Gale School Redevelopment Project! A huge thank you to the following recent donors who got us over the finish line: the Common Man family of restaurants, Hodges Companies, Miracle Farms Landscaping, and Greene's Corner Market.

LRCD is proud to announce we were recently awarded a $3,000 grant from the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation in support of our Adult Dental Program.
 
LRCD’s Adult Dental Program helps us realize our vision of a Lakes Region where everyone lives in a home that supports good physical, mental, and financial health and is empowered to reach their full potential.
 
With limited options available in New Hampshire for comprehensive adult dental care through Medicaid, LRCD created the Dental Program in 2020. It is a cost-share program that helps LRCD’s tenants, most of whom do not have dental insurance, pay for dental services. READ MORE...

​THANK YOU to our friends at Speare Memorial Hospital! They gave LRCD a $5,000 grant for our Housing Stability Fund for Ames Brook Apartments in Ashland.

This grant will enable us to help tenants who fall behind on rent due to ongoing pandemic instability and increased costs of food and utilities. Now that the NH Emergency Rental Assistance Program has ended, these funds from Speare will be absolutely critical to preventing evictions this winter.