For over 27 years, Affordable Housing, Education and Development (AHEAD) has been successfully developing and managing affordable rental housing for working families, seniors and people with disabilities throughout northern Grafton and Cos Counties. The Littleton-based non-profit currently owns and operates 399 units of affordable housing in 9 northern communities and will be adding to their portfolio with an upcoming project in Woodstock.
AHEAD commissioned a feasibility study to determine the need for affordable workforce housing in the Lincoln and Woodstock communities and the need is further validated by surveys and data collected by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. Furthermore, community leaders from both towns have reached out to AHEAD many times over the years in search of affordable rental housing solutions.
AHEAD Executive Director Mike Claflin indicates there’s been a long-time need for affordable workforce rental housing in both Lincoln and Woodstock and it’s taken a nearly 10-year search to find an appropriate site. The chosen 7.8 acre parcel known as “Peeling Village”, located across from Maple Haven Campground on Route 112 in Woodstock, will likely be developed in two phases and is planned to include 40 apartments and 20 townhomes. The multi-family complex will include a combination of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units as well some studio apartments. Rents for all units will be affordable, defined as not more than 30% of a household’s gross monthly income.
AHEAD has a long-standing reputation for screening its residents with both criminal background checks and credit reports and supporting families with a variety of financial education services AHEAD prides itself in developing and managing properties that prove to be great tax-paying assets to the communities where they’re located and the organization has a proven history of success.
Mr. Claflin stated that it takes 2 to 3 years for a project to obtain funding, go through the design phase and finally construction, so it’s likely to be quite some time before any activity will happening on the site but the good news is – it’s coming!