CATCH Neighborhood Housing Programs and Services include:
- Attractive, affordable, quality rental apartments
- Home Buyer and Financial Success Center
- Affordable Homes for Sale
History
When real estate prices were soaring in the late 1980s, it became increasingly difficult for working people to find an apartment at a price they could afford. At the same time, area businesses were having trouble attracting lower-wage workers because they could not afford to live in the area. To address this problem, a group of community leaders came together - people with experience in affordable housing, lawyers, business people, and residents - and the Concord Area Trust for Community Housing was born.
These visionary individuals tapped into a patchwork of financing that would enable CATCH to buy properties, renovate them, and then sell or rent them to people making significantly less than median income for our area.
In May of 2006, CATCH became known as CATCH Neighborhood Housing, unveiling a new look with renewed commitment to providing innovative housing solutions to individuals and families in Merrimack County. CATCH Neighborhood Housing’s success owes much to the efforts of those early leaders who perceived a need and worked to create a solution.
Accomplishments
With significant support from the local community,
CATCH has created 194 units of permanently affordable housing
in the Concord area since its founding in 1989, and another project,
Friedman Court, is currently underway. Ten families own their
own homes at Alden Place, a condominium developed by CATCH in
the South End of Concord. CATCH also began Homes Downtown, a
program to revitalize downtown Concord neighborhoods by renovating
duplexes and selling them at below-market rates to individuals
and families of modest means. In addition, the Home Buyer Education
Center, which was established in 2000, has educated and helped
over 800 families. Many families and individuals (over 200) have
successfully purchased a home.
Future
Today, the need to preserve and create affordable
housing is as critical as it was in 1989. Rents are rising dramatically
in Merrimack County, $1,000 is the median rent for a two-bedroom
apartment. Vacancy rates are currently around 3% for
both rental
and home
ownership. Home ownership is increasingly out of reach for working
families in the regular real estate market.
As Merrimack County's only nonprofit developer of affordable housing, CATCH Neighborhood Housing remains as committed as ever to helping meet the housing needs of our region's low- and moderate-income residents. With continued support from individuals, businesses and foundations, CATCH Neighborhood Housing will continue to provide safe and permanently affordable housing and housing education.
Local, Regional and National Recognition
In September 2005, the New Hampshire Business Review selected CATCH as the recipient of its Business Excellence Award for Non-Profits. CATCH was recognized as a non-profit leader for its effective management and commitment to high-quality housing for everyone.
In May 2005, CATCH was selected as the recipient of the first-ever Citizens Bank Housing Heroes Award for its Willow Crossing housing development in Concord and Penacook. Willow Crossing is the first-ever energy-star rated affordable housing development in the State of New Hampshire. Citizens Bank recognized CATCH for its leadership in creating affordable housing, innovative housing solutions, effective use of resources and strong fiscal responsibility.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified the Home Buyer Education Center at CATCH as a Housing Counseling Agency after a stringent application process in the spring of 2004. In 2005, HUD presented CATCH with a certificate of appreciation, calling the Home Buyer Education Center “the star home counseling agency in New England.”
NeighborWorks America, a national network of community-based organizations that works to create healthy neighborhoods, chartered CATCH as a new member in 1999. CATCH was the only organization accepted for membership by NeighborWorks America out of 24 New England applicants that year. In addition to their significant financial support for CATCH, NeighborWorks America also provides invaluable technical assistance training for CATCH staff, board members, residents and other volunteers.
The Corporate Fund, a collaboration among the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the state's largest corporations, honored CATCH with its Walter J. Dunfey Award for Excellence in Management in 1995.
Fannie Mae recognized CATCH with its Maxwell Award of Excellence in 1993, citing the CATCH-sponsored East Side Village one of the six best affordable housing developments in the country that year.
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