MHP’s Katy Lacy introduces Andrew Winter of Twin Pines Housing in NH-VT at session 4 of our WMass housing conference. Winter talked about how Twin Pines developed 18 rental homes for homeless in Lebanon NH. Video will be posted but here’s a few takeaways. 1/
Winter was asked to speak because affordable housing challenges in NH-VT are similar to those in WMass. Winter also no stranger to MA. He administered the state’s housing trust fund from 2001-05 and was RE Director at @JP_NDC from 2009-12. 2/
Winter said he drew upon his experience helping to develop Francis Grady Apartments when at @JP_NDC. He said it was great model of how to do housing with services in concert with @PineStreetInn & Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program. 3/
The need for homeless housing in Lebanon grew out of an increase in people living in tents on public land. This is similar to Greenfield MA, which also deals with homeless living in tents on city land & in the woods. 4/ https://bit.ly/3nUyPXx 
In Lebanon, ordinance banning camping on city land shined light on housing need. That led Twin Pines to redevelop old hotel into 18 420-square foot apartments. Financing included $1.35M from National Housing Trust & 18 Sec. 8 vouchers from state. 5/ https://bit.ly/3nWkXfm 
Known as Parkhurst Community Housing, Winter said it has succeed in part because the local Haven shelter provides services. 14 of the first 18 residents came from Haven. The others were living in tents or their cars. 6/
Winter said main regret was not setting aside one of the apartments as community room. Services are done on site but meeting space would’ve been better, he said. Some feared churn would be problem but after year one, 17 of 18 were still living there. 7/ https://bit.ly/2HcL9RZ 
Winter said project benefits from health services at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Ctr. Added that small study of Parkhurst residents by Dartmouth grad student found 45% drop in health costs due to less reliance on emergency room services. 8/
33 attended this session. Next week’s theme is senior housing in small towns & will feature Lauren Baker of @valleycdc_mass, Lorin Starr of Sunderland and Paul Lischetti of @hilltowncdc. It’s free but you have to register. https://bit.ly/35p98rb  9/end
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