Governor Kelly Ayotte Proclaims June 7-14 NeighborWorks Week

(l to r): Tom Furtado, CATCH Neighborhood Housing; Robert Tourigny, NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire, Governor Kelly Ayotte; Carmen Lorentz, Lakes Region Community Developers; and Harrison Kanzler, AHEAD.

Concord, New Hampshire…Governor Kelly Ayotte recently issued a proclamation declaring June 7 – 14 as NeighborWorks Week in the State of New Hampshire, and encouraging “all citizens to recognize and support the vital work being done by NeighborWorks organizations to build stronger, more resilient communities.”

Chartered by Congress in 1978, NeighborWorks America is a network of nearly 250 non-profit organizations across the country who receive support from NeighborWorks America through grants, training and partnerships that create affordable housing and promote community well-being. Every year, during NeighborWorks Week, the network celebrates their collective impact. The theme this year is “Creating Homes, Building America,” which reflects the significant impact that NeighborWorks America has on the nation’s housing affordability crisis.

There are four NeighborWorks organizations in New Hampshire: AHEAD in the North Country, CATCH Neighborhood Housing in Merrimack County, Lakes Region Community Developers, and NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire. In 2024, the four organizations collectively invested over $67 million in affordable housing in New Hampshire, owned and operated 2,246 affordable rental homes, created 202 new affordable rental homes, and provided 1,027 people with first-time homebuyer education and financial counseling.

Tom Furtado, president and CEO of CATCH Neighborhood Housing, appreciated the support, “We thank Governor Ayotte for this proclamation in recognition of NeighborWorks Week and the work that our NeighborWorks America organizations accomplish here in New Hampshire. We know the governor recognizes the importance of affordable housing to the state’s economy and are happy she continues to be such a strong supporter of our mission.”

Nationwide in 2024, NeighborWorks America and its network delivered:

·         $11.2 billion in total investment across the country

·         431,549 housing and counseling services

·         104,957 individuals educated or counseled

·         16,269 new homeowners

·         211,856 rental homes owned or managed

·         83,986 homes repaired

·         13,542 rental homes constructed, acquired or preserved

·         12,844 homes preserved or rehabbed

·         48,885 jobs created or maintained

NeighborWorks America is a congressionally chartered and funded organization that brings national resources to local communities. For every $1 of NeighborWorks’ congressional appropriation, $71 are leveraged and invested in housing and community development projects across the country.

Founded in 1989, CATCH Neighborhood Housing has been a chartered member of NeighborWorks America since 1999. CATCH offers a full spectrum of housing and education services in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, and meets the needs of the communities it serves by constructing new affordable housing units and revitalizing existing housing in an area where affordable rental options are limited. Since 1989, CATCH has expanded its real estate portfolio to include more than 425 affordable workforce housing units in Concord, Penacook, Bow, and Franklin, New Hampshire. These units serve approximately 1,100 seniors, adults, and children per year.

In order to better meet the needs of its residents and ensure the proper maintenance and professional management of its rental properties, while also providing a source of sustainable funding for the organization, in 2013 CATCH created Alliance Asset Management, a property and asset management company specializing in affordable housing regulations and associated financial services.

In 2014, in partnership with NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire and Lakes Region Community Developers, CATCH collaborated to provide homeownership and financial education services through HOMEteam. This innovative partnership organization serves the entirety of Merrimack, Hillsborough, Belknap, and Rockingham Counties, providing New Hampshire's residents access to first-time homebuyer education seminars as well as financial fitness courses and mortgage counseling.

CATCH Neighborhood Housing is located at 105 Loudon Rd, in Concord, New Hampshire. For further information about the organization, please call 603-225-8835 or visit our website at www.CatchHousing.org.

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