What's New at RCAP Solutions
RCAP Solutions Recertified
RCAP Solutions was approved for recertification by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as an official housing counseling agency on June 16, in a letter from Brenda J. Bellisairo, director of the program support division.
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies, such as RCAP Solutions, help homebuyers and homeowners to realistically evaluate their readiness for a home purchase, understand their financing and down payment options, and navigate what can be an extremely confusing and difficult process.
To read the full article, please
click here.
Collaborative Tackles Foreclosure Crisis
Five local nonprofit organizations have formed one of the first collaboratives in the state to address the foreclosure crisis and are making educating potential and current homeowners about complex financial and housing market information a priority.
Yesterday, state and local officials, including Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development Tina Brooks, and Mark Siegenthaler of the Department of Housing and Community Development, and Fitchburg Mayor Lisa A. Wong, along with heads of local community organizations, packed the conference room of the MART building on Water Street to announce the opening of the North Central Massachusetts Neighborworks Homeownership Center.
To read the full article, please
click here.
RCAP Solutions Honors Allen’s 26 Years of Service
Marking a career of assisting those in need
which has spanned more than two decades, RCAP
Solutions Inc. honored Carl H. Allen Jr., vice president of
client resources, for his 26 years of service with a
reception June 9, at the Devens Common Center.
The event brought together more than 100 guests from state and
local government, nonprofit agencies,associations, current and past RCAP Solutions employees, as
well as family and friends.
The evening began with Karen A. Koller, president and CEO,
reading a letter of congratulation from Sen.
Edward M. Kennedy. “There is no greater testament to your
exceptional dedication and commitment to all
those RCAP Solutions services than the critical role you have
played in ensuring its ability to develop and
maintain safe and affordable housing,” his letter stated.
Citations from U.S. Rep John T. Oliver, state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer and
state Rep. Jennifer L. Flanagan were presented. Keynote
speaker Julia Kehoe, commissioner of the Department of
Transitional Assistance, noted Mr. Allen’s contribution to
housing public policy and valuable knowledge he has shared
with all that have had the privilege to come in contact with
him. |
Carl Allen and Mary Anne Morrison
To read the full article, please
click here. |
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Long Term Commitment To Saratoga County Project Pays Off
Because of his hard work to help solve their long-term wastewater problems, RCAP Solutions retiree,
Bruce Goodale, was recently invited to a groundbreaking ceremony for sewer construction in Hemstreet Park,
Town of Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, New York. Funding for this project to pump sewage under the
Hudson River to a Saratoga County Wastewater Treatment Facility includes an interest-free $3.2 million
Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan and USDA Rural Development grant.
RCAP Solutions assistance for this complex project to eliminate failing onsite septic systems included
environmental reviews, negotiation for sewage treatment, funding coordination and district formation.
To read the full article, please
click here.
| Residents
purchase Westborough Housing Park for 1.1 Million |
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Building Equity For Residents Through Ownership |
Turnpike Park Co-Operative Residents Make It Official |
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With a stroke of the pen, the Turnpike
Park Co-Operative, Inc. in Westborough became the first
successful resident owned community conversion for RCAP
Solutions to take place in Massachusetts. The event was marked
by The Turnpike Park Co-Operative Board President, Paul Dorr
and Treasurer, Francine Maranda signing the papers making the
purchase official |
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After a six month process spear headed by RCAP
Solutions in conjunction with TD Bank North, New Hampshire
Community Loan Fund and Co-Op Fund of New England, Turnpike
Park Co-Operative, Inc formed bylaws and obtained a commitment
for financing. M.B. Wulf, a park resident shared her thoughts
on the purchase becoming complete. “I know that if Patrick
Pinkson-Burke from RCAP Solutions had not been available to
help us think outside the box and get organized as a
nonprofit, our attempt to buy the Park would have languished.
RCAP Solutions is involved in a housing movement that is going
to continue to grow in importance, and one that has been long
overdue.”
Turnpike Park Co-Operative is currently occupied with 47
mobile homes. About 30 households are members of the Turnpike
ParkCo-Op. of which 65 persons, 46% of the parks residents,
are over the age of 55. Anne Casagranda, the parks oldest
resident (93) and also a Board member shared her victory with
a local resident, "I met a woman while I was out, and we
struck up a conversation. She asked, "Where do you live?" and
I said, "The trailer park." She replied, "You poor thing! They
sold it out from under you!" And I said, "What? We're the ones
who bought it! We won! "
For more information regarding RCAP Solutions Manufactured
Housing Initiative, please contact:
ppinkson-burke@rcapsolutions.org |
RCAP Solutions Officially SOMBWA Certified
On March 27th RCAP received notification from the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Business and
Technology that we are certified by the State Office of Minority
and Women Business Assistance (SOMBWA) as a woman non-profit
organization.
To see the official notification letter for further
details, please
click here.
RCAP Compiling Survey Data To Help Town
Get New Sewer Line
The town of St. Armand is asking residents to return a
household characteristics survey in hopes the survey
will help the town get the information needed to apply for federal
grant money to install a sewer line.
Respondents have to answer five simple questions about their
household, including the type of dwelling,
how many people are in the household and total annual income. The
information in the surveys will be compiled by
RCAP Solutions Inc.
The town could receive up to $600,000 in federal assistance for
the project.
For more information on this topic
click here.
RCAP Community Development Specialist
Nominated to Land Use Leadership Program
Candice Balmer, RCAP Community Development Specialist for the state of New York,
has been nominated to participate in a land use leadership program this spring sponsored
by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program.
The program is designed to teach participants how to use the land use system, conflict management,
and comprehensive planning techniques to accomplish both local and regional natural resource protection.
The Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program has graduated more than 1000 local leaders in the Hudson Valley
and obtained the official support of over one-hundred municipalities and organizations. For the last twelve years,
the program has helped local leaders become more effectively involved in their community's land use decision-making process.
RCAP Awarded $5,565,400 Grant to
Construct Low-Income Senior Housing in Townsend, MA
U.S. Representatives John W. Olver (D-1st District) announced that RCAP Solutions has been
awarded a US Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 202 grant award. RCAP Solutions
will receive $5,565,400 to construct a 36-unit apartment building for low-income seniors on Dudley
Road in Townsend.
The building will consist of 36 one-bedroom apartments with senior friendly design details.
For example, bathrooms will have ample space for maneuvering with a walker or cane, showers will be
outfitted by a built in seat and grab bar, and the thermostats will have large, easy to read numbers.
The town of Townsend, which chose RCAP Solutions as the developer, contributed the project site at no cost for the purpose of creating this housing.
For full press release
click here.
Atwood Acres In The News
Atwood Acres, located in Townsend, MA, offers affordable
housing for independent seniors as well as those who are
mobility impaired. Managed by RCAP Solutions, the
apartment complex and the special "community spirit" of
it's residents was recently highlighted in an article by the
Townsend Times Free Press. For a copy of the full
article
click here.
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