FREE “BUTTON UP NH” WEATHERIZATION WORKSHOP TO BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 21ST AT RIVERWOODS AT EXETER

A free “Button Up NH” Weatherization Workshop will be held on Tuesday, February 21st from 11am – noon at The Boulders Campus of RiverWoods at Exeter. The Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast, the Town of Exeter Energy Committee and ReVision Energy are sponsors of this free workshop, which will be facilitated by certified energy professionals who will provide attendees with information and techniques to save money on home energy use. Please pre-register by contacting: lisa@seacoastwhc.org or (603) 205-0539. The snow date is February 23rd.

Home heating prices are predicted to rise by another 10% this season and this workshop will offer information on reducing fuel and electricity use via basic air sealing & insulation techniques, finding technical and financial resources, identifying sources of energy waste and easy do-it-yourself conservation measures.

The workshops are free and open to the public, thanks to funding provided by the N.H. Office of Energy and Planning from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A total of 40 workshops will be held across NH in the next few months with the hopes of helping NH residents save money on their fuel bills. This UNH-based program is a collaboration with Clean Air-Cool Planet, Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative (PAREI), UNH Cooperative Extension, and the Lakes Region Community College.

For more information on attending a Button Up NH workshop or getting a jump start on saving money on energy this winter, visit: http://myenergyplan.net/buttonup

Legislative ALERT! NH's Workforce Housing Law is Under Attack!

The Current Workforce Housing Law Is Important to NH's Economic Recovery & Growth.

It should not be undermined!

We need you to send a message to New Hampshire legislators. Join us in OPPOSING HB 1282 which would undermine current law (RSA 674:58-61) by making it optional for municipalities to approve workforce housing.

HB 1282 will have a hearing before the House Municipal and County Government Committee next Tuesday, January 31st at 1:00pm in Room 301 of the Legislative Office Building in Concord.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Call your representatives today. Tell them to:
* Oppose HB 1282
* Support ongoing efforts to provide safe, adequate, affordable housing for all of New Hampshire’s residents

POINTS TO MAKE:

* The Workforce Housing law is good for New Hampshire’s economy, workforce and housing needs
* The Workforce Housing law should not be repealed or weakened
* The Workforce Housing law does not create statewide zoning, local control is retained
* Over 50 communities have already adopted changes to their zoning to meet the law’s requirements
* The Workforce Housing law allows appropriate use of private property without undue local regulatory barriers thereby protecting the landowner’s rights under our New Hampshire Constitution
* The Workforce Housing law helps to create jobs, recognizing that housing development infuses over $50 million a year into NH’s economy

Calls are better than emails. If you do email, please put "Oppose HB 1282" in the subject line.

Happy Holidays From WHC

Your Gift Supports A Strong Seacoast Workforce!

Home. Not just a place, but a sense of security. Where you always feel welcome. Unfortunately, it can be hard to make a home of the Greater Seacoast region. The search for an affordable apartment or a modest single-family home often ends in disappointment… After all, who wants to choose between housing that’s rundown, and possibly unsafe, or housing that’s far from work and family?

The Workforce Housing Coalition invites you to be part of the solution. With the support of our members, we tackle the complex issues that contribute to our region’s limited housing options. We educate communities about the benefits of workforce housing -- apartments, condos and single-family homes that are affordable to people of modest means. And we offer planners and developers advice on how to meet the need. Since our inception in 2001, we’ve helped over 20 communities improve their housing regulations. In turn, local developers have created over 200 new units of workforce housing.

When you become a member of the Workforce Housing Coalition, you send a message that you value the contributions of teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and so many others who are priced out of our communities. Shouldn’t they have the option of being our neighbors? We think so.

I know a family you’d welcome into your town. Chris Kiberd is a nine year veteran of the Portsmouth Police Department. His wife Brenda is a nurse at St. Ann Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Dover. They are raising a beautiful baby girl. A few years ago, they purchased a home in Rochester, where greater affordability gave them more options. But living so far away from work and family has become a strain. Chris says, “Together we pay over $70 dollars a month just in tolls. We pay three times that for gas.” They feel disconnected from their support systems to the south. “I grew up in Portsmouth, but we can’t afford to live there,” Brenda laments. “It’s hard living away from family and friends, and it’s especially isolating when you’re trying to raise a child.”

Who needs workforce housing?  Those who take care of our children, our seniors and our communities. Become a member of the Workforce Housing Coalition today and give voice to these hard-working people.  Together we can ensure that our Seacoast communities provide housing opportunities for all.  
 

Our 2011 Holiday Wishlist

No diamond rings or fancy things on our wish list, just a desire to stretch our (very) limited office budget so we can deliver the best programming possible.
Could you donate your time or help underwrite the cost of some important business tools?
*Have a few hours to spare? We have one-time and ongoing data entry projects and we would love your help.
*Our printer is old and toner must be special ordered through Amazon.com – gift certificates are greatly appreciated!
*  Help us stay informed and involved by underwriting subscriptions to Foster’s Daily Democrat and the Portsmouth Herald or by contributing the cost of membership dues for any of the region’s Chambers of Commerce (cost averages $125/yr.)
*  We could really use easels for presentations and meetings
*  Lisa needs a new computer monitor since hers broke this year
*We would love a small laptop for occasional intern use as well.
Of course, we appreciate anything and everything you do to help Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast.  If you can give a gift of any kind, please contact Lisa by clicking here, or calling the office.  Thank you!

Housing Happy Hour – The Quiz Show Edition!

Join us on November 29, 2011 and enjoy a fun night out as we turn the tables and ask you to get to the bottom of tough questions like, “What’s different about the Seacoast’s housing market?” “How many children can we expect a new housing development will generate?” “How will demographic trends drive changes in our housing market?” Take a guess, and you may win a raffle prize!

November 29 at RiverWoods at Exeter
Cocktail Hour – 5:30-6:30pm
Presentation, Discussion, Prizes – 6:30-7:30pm

Admission is $12 for WHC members / $15 for non-members. Admission includes 2 drink tickets & light appetizers. Click here to register in advance as space is limited.

Workforce Housing Coalition Welcomes Three New Board Members

Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast is proud to announce the appointment of three new members to our Board of Directors.  

Thomas House -- Principal of THA Architects

Tom House joined the WHC Board over the summer, having served on the Coalition’s Fundraising and Outreach Committee for several years and as a volunteer team member for our 2011 design charrette.
Tom is licensed to practice architecture in NH, ME and MA. He has held many leadership positions with the NH Chapter of the AIA (American Institute of Architects) and the NH Architecture Foundation. Tom is the NH Coordinator for the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ Intern Development Program and personally mentors two young architectural professionals. He is an active member of NH CIBOR, and Plan NH. Tom serves on the Exeter Area Chamber’s Economic Development Committee, and was nominated for the 2011 Exeter Area Business of the Year Award.

Dawn Barker – VP of Human Resources -- RiverWoods at Exeter

Dawn Barker has RiverWoods at Exeter, a continuing care retirement community located in Exeter, NH for the last 11 years. As Vice President of Human Resources, she is responsible for managing Human Resources and Risk Management for the organization. She holds a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University and a BA from Bentley College. Dawn has held board positions with Great Bay Kids and The Granite State Human Resource Conference. She shares her life with her husband and two daughters. She loves to learn new things, read, cook and spend time outside with her family.

Gayle Sanders – Owner of GRS Home Design

When Gayle Sanders transitioned from a career in software development, she leveraged her computer skills and background in human factors engineering (making sure that products/systems truly serve the needs of the end user) and started GRS Home Design. Her computer models and 3D images help homeowners see what remodeling projects will look like. After working on the WHC’s two design charrettes, Gayle is looking forward to serving on the board and expanding her focus beyond the individual homeowner to the community as a whole. Gayle has been a Seacoast resident since the late 80’s and currently lives in Stratham with her husband Jack.

Welcome Thomas, Dawn, and Gayle!