Tax credit commitment gives homeless shelter to be built in city a big boost

From left: Exec. Councilor Andru Volinsky, HCSC) Exec. Dir. Tracy Hardekopf, HCSC Board Pres. Kathe Levesque, Com. Dev. Exec. Dir. Katy Easterly Martey, HCSC V.P. Rachel Gilman, HCSC Board Treas. Brian Therrien, and State Sen. James Gray. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - The New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority recently awarded $250,000 in tax credits to support the development of a new homeless shelter in Rochester, city officials announced on Tuesday.

The tax credits were awarded this June to the Homeless Center for Strafford County, a nonprofit that offers shelter to the homeless population in the region as well as case management and classes on nutrition, parenting, financial literacy, résumé writing, job search and interviewing skills.

The tax credits will support HCSC's plans to build a new facility at 202 Washington St. The new facility will shelter a maximum of 40 people, a 50 percent capacity increase from the nonprofit's current building on Isinglas Drive.

"This is a really exciting project, and we're thrilled that the HCSC is building this facility in Rochester," City Manager Cox said. "HCSC has a reputation of offering comprehensive, life changing services to our homeless population, and we're thankful they'll be in our community providing direct support to those in need."

Last year, 91.3 percent of HCSC's clients moved to permanent housing.

The Homeless Center for Strafford County plans to move into the new facility in the fall of 2021. The center has set a goal to raise $1 million in order to build the facility, and had $740,000 in fund-raising commitments as of Tuesday.