ROCHESTER - Catholic Charities’ effort to build an affordable housing project at the site of the former DPW on Old Dover Road moved forward last night, but not without fiery pushback from City Councilor Susan Rice who called the city’s eagerness to bankroll the project with city taxpayers’ money a slap in the face to residents finding it hard to make ends meet.
The City Council voted 9-4 to approve a grant of $400,000 to assist Catholic Charities NH in their effort to build the 80-apartment complex at 45 Old Dover Road. The city also agreed to ease the tax burden on the state nonprofit by allowing them to erase their tax bill with a PILOT program (Payment in lieu of Taxes).
“I do support development, but not unchecked subsidies,” Rice said at Tuesday night’s meeting. “$400,000 interest free support to an organization with questionable financial stability? Meanwhile residents pay their taxes and get no relief. That is not equity.”
Rice added that the city has already spent huge amounts of taxpayer money for demolition, remediation and Brownfields grant funding.
“That is not one decision, that is a stack of concessions,” she added.
During her comments Rice added that the city had offered Catholic Charities a loan of $400,000, something City Councilor took exception to.
“I don’t believe this money was ever presented as a loan,” he said.
However City of Rochester minutes show otherwise.
“Knowing both the need and importance of this project, the Rochester Economic Development Commission (REDC) discussed the situation in a nonpublic meeting on January 27, 2026,” meeting minutes state. “At that meeting the REDC voted unanimously (2/3 required) to provide $400,000 as a standby loan from the Economic Development Reserve Fund to assist in the completion of this project.”
Voting against what is now characterized as a cash grant from the City of Rochester to Catholic Charities NH were councilors Matthew Richardson, Debby Thompson, Susan Rice and David Walker.
